


hearts don't break around here (only fixed)

by sevendreamies



Category: NCT (Band), SM Rookies
Genre: Alternate Universe - Hospital, Doctors & Physicians, Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-09-17
Updated: 2018-12-15
Packaged: 2018-12-30 20:59:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 37,790
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12117138
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sevendreamies/pseuds/sevendreamies
Summary: just a love story between two doctors, trying to work their relationship out between busy schedules.(it will be collections of drabbles set in the same universe :))





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> hello guys! this is my second fic for NCT ficdom. i've been wanting for some doctors!markhyuck, because doctors!au is one of my favorite alternate universe to read and write :) it'll be a series filled with drabbles set in the same universe. think of it like grey's anatomy with lots of fluff (lol), there'll be conflicts too because what's the fun without some dramas, right?. title is taken from the song mark sang today at his live broadcast, can't stop playing it inside my head right now, and somehow fitting... because mark is a cardiothoracic surgeon here ;) hahaha
> 
> hopefully you'll enjoy and maybe i'll start taking requests for drabbles ideas later! :) love you lots, xoxo.

_ Bzzz. Bzzz.  _

 

A light buzzing sound is pulling him awake. The room is swimming with darkness, and his eyes are still getting used to the lack of light. Donghyuck moves around at the place he’s sleeping on, smiling to himself as he feels an arm around his waist. The owner of the arm whines in his sleep at Donghyuck’s movement, but going back to sleep right after. Donghyuck reaches up a hand to grab for his phone at the bedside table, face grimacing when he sees that he doesn’t see any new notifications and that means the buzzing comes from Mark’s phone. 

 

Donghyuck moves so now he is facing Mark, taking his time to take in the other’s sleeping face under the minimal light coming from the night lamp across their bed. There are tired lines starting to form on his forehead, Donghyuck holds the urge to trace those with his lips. But instead, he runs his fingers through Mark’s dark hair, watching the other reacting by shifting closer to Donghyuck. 

 

The buzzing comes to a complete stop, so Donghyuck thinks it might only be drunken calls from their friends or people trolling.  Donghyuck is ready to go to sleep again, when the buzz starts again. This probably something important. 

 

“Mark…” Donghyuck calls, to no response. 

 

“Mark…” Now Donghyuck opts to also shaking the other’s body, and it turns out to work because Mark is slowly opening his eyes. The other rolls over to lay on his back, the arm on Donghyuck’s waist is now gone and he’s already missing the heat coming from it. But there are urgent matters here. “Mark, honey. Your phone has been ringing for twice now. It’s probably the hospital.”

 

Hearing the word hospital seems to do the trick, because in no time Mark is sitting up on the bed before grabbing for his glasses and phone. “Hello?” Mark greets whoever it is on the other side of the phone, before meeting eyes with Donghyuck and mouths ‘ _ it’s the hospital.’ _ . Donghyuck nods understandingly, throwing the covers and turning on the bedside lamp. The room is now casted in a warm glow, the clock is showing that it’s 2 a.m in the morning. Donghyuck stands up while grabbing his night gown, making his way outside. 

 

The kitchen is his destination, knowing full well that Mark probably needs some warm milk or tea for him to be able to sleep again after his trip to dreamland interrupted by the phone call. As he waits for the water to boil, Mark graces the kitchen with his presence only clad with white old t-shirt and boxer. He looks a bit in panic, Donghyuck raises his eyebrow at him. “I need to get to the hospital, a surgery came up.”

 

“It really can’t wait until the morning? You came home late today.” 

 

Mark shakes his head, “It’s an emergency.” 

Donghyuck schools his face so his worry is not showing too much. He sighs, “I’ll drive you to the hospital.”

 

“But--” 

 

“And you’re not going to say no.” Persistent Donghyuck is persistent, and there is no way for Mark to make him change his mind even it’s with his kisses (which is Donghyuck’s favovite, of course). So, Mark says yes and walks back to their room to get changed. 

 

Five minutes later they are already buckled up in the car, Mark already dressed in black slacks and a proper shirt while Donghyuck is still in his sleepwear. He doesn’t care though, nobody is going to look inside a car and finds him in his night gown. The road is empty (it’s two thirty in the morning for God’s sake) so Donghyuck has no problem driving with only one hand, the other is holding Mark’s that is now getting bits of sleep on the passanger seat. 

 

In no time, Donghyuck sees the sign of the hospital they both work at and manouver the car to the main lobby. Like having his own GPS to tell him that they’ve arrived at their destination, Mark wakes up as Donghyuck stops the car at the entrance. He sits up straight, rubbing his eyes trying to wipe off the traces of sleep before turning to Donghyuck. 

 

“Here,” Donghyuck hands something to Mark, a lunchbox. “I made some quick sandwhich for you to eat before the surgery.” 

 

Mark looks at the box on his lap with a thankful smile, “Thank you, Donghyuck. You’re the best.” 

 

“You have to eat it, okay? I’ll have one of the nurse spying on you. And if you don’t eat--” Donghyuck’s words get cut with a pair of lips stopping his lips from moving. In nanoseconds, Donghyuckis focusing on Mark, Mark and only Mark. It’s the quiet shared moment like this that he always cherises, when it feels like just the two of them and there is nothing in their mind other than each other. Donghyuck always calls it, a  _ time-out.  _

 

A pause from the life around them. 

 

A moment of peace. 

 

A moment to take a breather before going back to go on with their day. 

 

They part after God-knows-how-long because humans can only hold their breaths for so long. Mark has his eyes closed like he still dreams of their kiss to be longer, Donghyuck raises a hand to cup Mark’s cheek. They stay like that for a while before Mark’s phone goes off again, they don’t have to look at it to know who’s it from. 

 

Mark sighs, “It’s time for me to go.” 

Donghyuck only nods, letting Mark opening the seatbelt and taking his bag along with him. He walks around to stand right outside the driver’s side, Donghyuck has the window rolled down. “Goodluck for the surgey, Mr. Surgeon.” 

 

“Thanks,” Mark smiles, “I’ll see you in the morning?” 

 

Donghyuck hums, “Yep. I’ll drop by at the operation theater if you’re still there before I start my rounds.” 

 

“Okay then, got to go. Got a live to save!” Mark finally bids goodbye after landing a light peck on top of Donghyuck’s forehead, “Drive safely!” 

 

\---

 

Donghyuck is woken up by his alarm lonely in the bed. He is almost panicking because he doesn’t see Mark on the other side of the bed before he remembers that Mark was called for an emergency surgery just this dawn. Waking up in the morning without Mark will never be his favorite. In fact, it sucks. 

 

Usually he’ll take his time spending the morning at home, making breakfast while Mark is reading the newspaper and has his coffee. Or lying in bed for another 15 minutes with Mark, counting the flying golden dust on the trail made by the morning sun ray seeping through the window blinds. Any morning with Mark is good, even the days when it’s raining outside and there are water puddles that is threathening to soil his polished shoes. 

 

This time, he’s up from bed in no time and going right away to the bathroom to get ready. Donghyuck spends a little bit more time at the kitchen to prepare some foods for Mark, because his sandwhich from before will not be enough to support Mark for the rest of the day, that’s for sure. He decides to skip breakfast in favour to just have it with Mark at the hospital before he tends to his own patients. 

 

Ah yes, here’s for a quick introductions; Mark and Donghyuck has been together for around 4 years, engaged for one year. They met at the hospital where they did their residency. After graduating, Mark proposed to him on a fine summer night at one of their usual dates at the Hangang Park. 

 

(And does Mark tell about how much of a crying mess Donghyuck was at that night? 

 

“I’m so overwhelmed with happiness, okay!” Donghyuck defends himself.) 

 

They moved in together after that to a small but decent apartment close to the hospital they’re working at right now. Mark is working at the Surgery department, cardiothoracic surgery to be exact. And Donghyuck works as a pediatrician. Being the sunshine ball that he is, Donghyuck has no trouble to connect and fit in with the kids (“Or it’s just his mental age is basically a five year-old’s” said Jaemin one day, which earned him a whack at the back of his head. Strong enough to make him dizzy, not strong enough to send him to the emergency room. Don’t worry.) 

 

Donghyuck arrives at the hospital a bit early than usual and directly makes his way to the operation theater. He passes some of the nurses and doctors, not forgetting to greet them along the way. He runs to Renjun at the entry, who looks like he’s going to fall asleep any minute. The other notices Donghyuck first, his face lights up at the sight of the red-haired doctor. “Hey, Donghyuck.” 

 

“Hey, Renjun.” Donghyuck greets back, a little breathless from the long walk. He really needs to hit the gym again soon, his stamina is draining quickly. How is he going to deal with carrying babies and kids in the future? “Are you scrubbing in for Mark’s surgery just now?” 

 

The other nods, “I was on the emergency room shift when the patient was wheeled in. So i’m scrubbing in.” Renjun checks on his watch, “I really need to clock out soon, though…” 

 

“You should, Jeno must be happy to have you home before he starts his shift later.” Jeno is Renjun’s soon-to-be boyfriend. Why soon-to-be? Because they’re actually roommates who have feelings for each other, but too scared to confess. It’s been going for two years already and Donghyuck has no idea how they can survive in that grey area of ‘not-friends-but-also-not-lovers’. Donghyuck would probably pop a blood vessel out of frustration if that ever happens to him. But then, each person is different and Donghyuck knows the two will end up together anyway anyhow by the end of the day. 

 

Renjun just hums in acknowledgement.  _ He must be so tired, _ Donghyuck thinks. Because he doesn’t even go defensive about him and Jeno. “Ah, by the way, are you searching for Mark? He’s done early, I closed up for him. I bet he’s in the doctor’s lounge.” 

 

“Yep! Okay then, I’ll head over there. Be careful on your way home. Pass my hello to Jeno, please.” 

 

\---

 

Just like what Renjun said, Mark is indeed at the doctor’s lounge. He has the three-seater sofa for himself, lying on his back with one arm covering his eyes. One of his feet is propped on the floor, the sofa being to small to accomodate his height. He doesn’t have pillows to support his head, and Donghyuck winces at the thought of the crick Mark will get later. 

 

The movement of Mark’s chest is slow and steady, signalling that he’s asleep. Donghyuck’s eyes soften at that, putting down the food container he brought on the table and makes his way over the sofa. He slowly lifts Mark’s head, before slipping under, sitting on the sofa and lays Mark’s head over his lap. 

 

The change disturbs Mark from his sleep, as he moves around and whines. Donghyuck quickly shhhs him, just like a mother to their baby. But the fact is, Mark is Donghyuck’s baby. Big baby. Donghyuck runs his fingers through Mark’s unruly bed hair (still has the habit of not combing it everytime, huh), putting pressures on the scalp just like how Mark likes it. 

 

At the familiar treatment, Mark’s body goes lag. He sighs, like a ton of weight on his shoulders are now lifted just by Donghyuck’s presence near him. “You’re here?” Mark greets, voice hoarse with his eyes still closed. “Yes, I am.” Donghyuck answers quietly, eyes starring intently at Mark. 

 

“The surgery is a bit of a challenge.” 

 

“To see how drained you are right after, I already guessed.” Donghyuck smiles softly, even though Mark can’t see it. “You can sleep, you still have one hour and a half before the morning shift starts. I’ll wake you up later.” 

 

“But, you’re not going to do your rounds?” Typical Mark, still not wanting to burden others to take care of him even when it’s Donghyuck who offers it. But his resistance is low though, seeing how he shifts closer to Donghyuck despite his question. 

 

“I have my own big kid to take care for a while first. The children can wait, really. ” 

 

Mark lets out a soft chuckle, “Okay then,  _ mom _ .” 

 

They fall into a silence right after that, Donghyuck is busying himself with his phone reading updates of patients being sent over the chat by one of the resident. He almost thinks that Mark is already fast asleep when the other suddenly calls in a small voice, “Donghyuck-ah,” 

 

“Huh?” 

 

“Thank you.” 

 

Their relationship might not be the usual one, nor the healthy one. Their time is always divided between for each other and also for patients. No matter how much they want to spend their time with each other, they have responsibilities they’ve been taken the oath for. Their times mostly spent at the hospital lounge, in between busy calls of emergencies and the need for consultations. People from outside might look at them weirdly, or probably with pity eyes. 

 

Both already know the consequences that comes with their job, also know about the effects it might have to their relationship. 

 

And they understand. They’ll try their best. 

 

And that’s what make their love,  _ theirs. _

 

Donghyuck’s lips stretch into a wide smile unknowingly, feeling a bit overwhelmed because of a mere  _ thank you _ from Mark that makes him feeling so  _ loved. _ “You’re welcome, Mark. I love you.”

 

“I love you, too.” 

 

\---

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	2. and i will try, to fix you

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> mark breaks from his own expectation of himself, and donghyuck is there to pick up the pieces

Uneasiness. 

 

Donghyuck closes the last patient’s map archive of the day and puts it away as he sighs. He’s been feeling a bit weird since the morning, like there’s something weighing down his chest. Like something is wrong but he makes sure to double check everything before going to the hospital that day and also checking it with his office’s secretary, there is nothing that is out of place or forgotten. At first he thought that it was only because he didn’t see Mark that morning when he woke up (again), but even after he dropped by the cardiothoracic surgeon office earlier that day, the feeling hasn’t subsided yet. 

 

_ Is it perhaps because of Mark’s condition when they met before? _

 

Mark is working on a quite difficult case for the past few weeks, up to the point he requested to the board director for a team to be made to treat the patient together and holistically. When they usually come home together every night, now it is mostly Donghyuck alone because Mark is still too busy having discussion with the other doctors on his team. Donghyuck understands, so he never complains about being left out for a while. He knows how Mark is, so persistent and hard working. 

 

One thing he wants to complain is about the other’s health condition. The team only started around 2 weeks ago and Mark already looks way thinner than he usually is. Donghyuck used to bring foods to his office everyday ever since he got busy to make sure Mark is eating alright, but Mark said not to because he doesn’t want to burden Donghyuck whe Donghyuck is also already busy with the patients up in the children’s ward. He also promised Donghyuck to not skip meals & eat properly. 

 

Which he totally forgot (Donghyuck can’t really get mad at this point). 

 

When Donghyuck dropped by the older’s office earlier that day, the other was sleeping with his back hunched on the table. Papers were scattered around and the light case was on to show the latest MSCT-scan from the patient. He almost didn’t have a heart wake up the other, but Donghyuck needed to hear Mark’s voice. Needed to hug him. Needed to feel their chest touching when they take a breath together. Needed to smell the scent of Mark he has missed so dearly (the scent on Mark’s pillow back at home started to vanish day by day…).

 

And also to let other know that he got all the support Donghyuck has for the surgery he will do that day. After days of planning and changing opinions, Mark finally has a go-signal to do the surgery to the patient today. Today is a big day. 

 

_ Donghyuck remembers that day when he got a call from Jeno one night when he was already planning to go to bed. Mark hadn’t arrived at home yet and he was too sleepy to wait. When he picked up the phone, there was a panic Jeno on the other line telling him to come over to their usual bar quickly.  _

 

_ “Jeno, what happened?”  _

_ “Mark is wasted, he drank his ass off and now he can’t even get up from the table and he keeps asking for you.”  _

 

_ Being unresponsible drinker? That is so unlike Mark, Donghyuck thought.  _

 

_ “I’ll be there in a sec.”  _

 

_ When he got to the bar, Jeno was smiling up to him sadly. “He just fell asleep, but he still calls your name over and over and refused to be brought home by me.”  _

 

_ Donghyuck took a deep breath as he approached Mark, putting his arm around his husband’s shoulder and shook it gently. “Mark? Mark? It’s me, Donghyuck.” Those words did magic as Mark slowly lifted his head. As soon as he saw Donghyuck on his eyesight, he immediately hugged the other so tight. Donghyuck was about to ask what was all that about when he felt some hotness on his shoulder where Mark was burying his face at.  _

 

_ Mark was crying.  _

 

_ Mark rarely cried.  _

 

_ The only time Donghyuck remembers he cried was after the night after their wedding, when he whispered thank you, thank you, and thank you to Donghyuck’s ears way until the morning came.  _

 

_ Donghyuck looked at Jeno across of him with lost, hoping the other had any idea about what was happening with Mark that day to make him like this. “He didn’t say anything to me, only asked me to accompany him drinking so I did.” Jeno said, as clueless as Donghyuck was. “Do you need, help to bring him back home?”  _

 

_ Seeing Mark’s state, Donghyuck thought Mark will appreciate it more if they were both alone. He must not want just anyone to see him in this state (well Jeno is not just ‘anyone’ to them, but.. you get the gist.) “I think I’ll be fine, but can you help me with the bill first and call taxi for us?”  _

 

_ On the way back to their apartment, Mark was relatively calmer eventhough he still glued himself to Donghyuck’s side all the time. Donghyuck didn’t say anything, letting the other be and holding his hand.  _

 

_ “Mark,” Donghyuck calls softly when they finally made it to bed that night, after cleaning themselves up and changing into warm clothes. He placed the warm mug of hot chocolate on Mark’s bedside table before going around to slip into the covers. “What happened?”  _

 

_ At the question, Mark broke into a fit of tears. His body shook uncontrolably and his breath hitched as it got harder to breath. Donghyuck automatically came forward and pulled the other into his hug, putting his arms around the other as tight as he could. All he knew he had to calm Mark down.  _

_ He didn’t know how long Mark cried but Donghyuck let him be, his pajamas were all wet now but he didn’t care. He kept stroking Mark’s hair slowly as he whispered things for Mark to calm down and just wait until he finished.  _

 

_ Minutes later, Mark had finally calmed down and there was no sound in the room besides their own breathes. They didn’t know how long time passed until Mark finally said something, “there is this patient that I have... a grandma with quite a rare case.”  _

 

_ “I already tried all the treatments stated in the books, trying to combine this treatment and that. But it never works.”  _

 

_ “I always come to her and her family with bad news everytime we just finish a therapy regiment. Her condition doesn’t seem to improve no matter what kind of therapy we try. I keep asking for forgiveness everytime, but the grandma always says to me that it’s not my fault and she even thanked me one day that she was grateful that I do not give up on her.”  _

 

_ “That makes the want for her to get better in me gets bigger, she really deserves to get healthy again.” Mark takes a breath before continuing, “This morning when I checked up on her, I just knew from her daughter that she hasn’t woken up since last night. Not responding to voice, movement or even the highest level of pain.”  _

 

_ “She fell into a coma. And this makes her survival chance probably got to no more than 10%.” Mark sighed heavily, “It feels like I’ve failed myself, I’ve failed her. All those years I spent studying until late at night are all for nothing if I don’t get to find cure for this grandma.”  _

 

_ Mark’s voice was getting thinner and thinner as he talked, Donghyuck reached out for his hand and squeezed it tightly. There were little sobs coming from Mark once again. “I know how you felt, I’ve been through that a lot I thought I would be fine but it just hard, sometimes. But there is this case that left an impression in me.”  _

 

_ Donghyuck stared forward, gaze casted away as he recalled the moment. “It happened when I was doing my clerkship. There was this woman, with breast cancer. She went through surgeries and surgeries, not to mention the chemotherapy and also radiation therapy she went. She was finally declared clear of cancer cells after 5 years of treatment.”  _

 

_ “But cancer is really indeed a devil.” Donghyuck took a shaky breath, “She came back around 5 months later with complaint of severe headache. They did examinations on her, they found another cancer inside her brain. I could only stare in helplessness everytime she screamed in pain because no pain medications worked anymore on her.”  _

 

_ “After weeks of staying in the hospital, on one fine Friday afternoon just before the sunset, she finally passed away in her sleep. Surrounded by her beloved husband and children. You know what? They didn’t cry. Not a single tear.” Mark looked up to Donghyuck, “H-- How?”  _

 

_ “I asked them, because it looked weird right? Maybe you already think negatively like they were happy finally get to inherit her wealth and---”  _

 

_ “No I don’t!” Mark defended himself quickly and pouted at the accussation. Donghyuck chuckled.  _ __   
  


_ “They said they didn’t cry because they were happy for her.” Donghyuck said, looking directly to Mark’s eyes. “She finally could rest peacefully, without any pain. At least, they said, her suffering finally came to an end. They already accepted it all, for them it was better than to see her suffering everyday. And being by God’s side is really the best place for her to be.”  _

 

_ “So Mark, there are limits about how much we can do as a doctor. And sometimes, we will be at the point where we are hopeless. But failing at treating our patient doesn’t mean we don’t do our best. What important is, we already do the best we can. Then, any effort won’t go to waste.”  _

 

_ Mark didn’t say anything after that, too busy with his own thoughts. Donghyuck didn’t pull away, just in case Mark broke down again or just needed a shoulder to lie on.  _

 

_ “Donghyuck-ah,”  _

 

_ “Yes?”  _

 

_ “Thank you.”  _

 

\---

 

The elevator’s ding pulls Donghyuck out of his thoughts, and he looks up to see that he has arrived at the floor where the operating theaters are. The clock shows that it’s 5 in the afternoon, about one hour before Mark’s surgery begins. He spots him in front of the OR room, walking back-to-back from left to right while biting his nails. Donghyuck sighs at the bad habit the other has everytime he gets nervous. There are also other surgeons that will help to assist, they are sitting on the metal bench while discussing something to one another. 

 

“Hey,” Donghyuck taps the other’s shoulder, surprising Mark. Mark turns with eyes wide open and a soft smiles blooms when he spots Donghyuck, “Hey, you’re here.” 

 

“Of course, anything to support my Mr. Surgeon.” 

 

Mark doesn’t reply anything, only looking at Donghyuck with soft stares until the other gets too embarassed by the intense stare. “Don’t worry,” Donghyuck says, “You got this.” 

 

It’s not long until Mark is being called by the other surgeons, they are going through the surgery procedures together once again & get changed into scrubs. The patient is already at the OR and being prepared for anasthesia. Mark tells his team to go first and he’ll follow, before turning back to face Donghyuck again and plants a kiss on the other’s lips. 

 

_ A time-out. _

 

It feels so nice to finally feel Mark in every kind of senses humans have after a long time being deprived of the other. Donghyuck tries hard not to show his longing too much because he understands, and he doesn’t want to burden Mark. But he can’t lie to say he doesn’t miss the other so so much. The kiss only gets deeper as the seconds pass and if they don’t remember that Mark has a patient to attend, they will not be able to pry their hands off each other’s soon. 

 

They pull back and Donghyuck quickly hugs Mark, hiding his face at Mark’s chest and feeling the rumble in his chest when Mark laughs at his act. It’s the kind of laugh that has no burden, that is because of pure happiness. And it puts Donghyuck’s heart at ease. It’s Mark who pulls away first because his pager starts to beep inside his white coat, Donghyuck mutters  _ ‘what a bunch of understanding teammates you have there.’ _ ”

 

Mark chuckles again before reaching up to cup Donghyuck’s face, “I’ll go in now, okay? Wait for me at home, I’ll come back as soon as I’m done.” 

 

Donghyuck nods, “Remember, any effort…” 

 

“Won’t go to waste.” Mark finishes, bringing a smile to Donghyuck because the Mark Lee in front of him is the confident Mark Lee he knows. So different with the Mark Lee two weeks ago who had a breakdown in 2 am in the morning, from the Mark Lee that doubted himself. 

 

“Good luck, doctor Lee.” 

 

\---

 

It is fifteen minutes to midnight when the front door opens and startles Donghyuck from his sleep. His neck is screaming in pain because he slept in a wrong position on the sofa without knowing. He tried to wait for Mark to come home in the living room but he fell asleep. Donghyuck walks up to Mark to take the other’s coat and hanging it on the coat hanger. The other doesn’t say anything, tired lines evidence even under the minimal light inside the room.

 

Donghyuck doesn’t pry. Only following the other to the kitchen.    
  


“Did you cook something? I haven’t had any dinner.” Mark asks after he settles down on one of the high chair and prop himself on the kitchen counter. Donghyuck shakes his head, “I haven’t had my dinner too, let me cook us something quick.” 

 

They spend their time eating dinner in silence, only the sounds of their cutleries hitting the plate filling the space in the middle of the night. Donghyuck still waits, Mark needs time, Donghyuck somehow already gets a feeling about how it ended. 

 

When they already put away the dishes, washed up and change into sleep clothes, they slip under the cover together and lie side by side. There is a moment when they both just stare at the ceiling, Donghyuck silently counting down the little dots that start to form, when Mark finally speaks. “She didn’t make it.” 

 

“How.. How do you feel about it?” 

 

“I don’t know,” Donghyuck turns his body so he faces Mark. “But I know for sure that I already did my best. And for that, my mind is at peace.” 

 

Now it’s Mark who turns his head to look at Donghyuck, “Can I hug you tonight?” 

 

Donghyuck doesn’t say anything, only scooting closer as an answer. The other looks beaten up,  _ but content _ . Donghyuck lets the static sound of the clock to lull them to dream land. 

 

“Sleep well, Mark Lee.”

 

Donghyuck feels a kiss on top of his head.

 

“수고했어요, 정말 고생했어요.”

 

\---

  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> finally a new chapter after a long time, i really have a special spot for this story inside my heart. hope you enjoy it and do you know i also made a wedding chap for them? hihi it's in here : https://archiveofourown.org/works/12168585 (titled vows)! :) don't forget to drop comments to let me know what you think! 
> 
> i am also pawsitivelytao at exo ficdom (just in case you also read my fic there and yes there are some parts of my fics there that i re-written here :))
> 
> xoxo, 
> 
>  
> 
> sevendreamies!


	3. sometimes even the mightiest of us, need help

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It’s a known fact that doctors make the worst patients.  
> We ignore our symptoms until we’re facedown on the grounds.  
> We like to think we’re different species than our patients.  
> But none of us are invincible.  
> Eventually we have to face the fact we’re human  
> And that sometimes, even the mightiest of us need help. 
> 
> Grey’s Anatomy, S10E18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Coming baaaack again!! Forgive my attempt at fluff & comedy. Hope you guys like it!

“Haaaatchi!” The sound of Donghyuck’s sneeze filling in their kitchen, the said person is now half blindly searching for the tissue on the table. Mark, who sits right in front of him helpfully pushes the tissue box closer. Donghyuck lets out an appreciative humm, and proceeding to blow his nose for the umpteenth time that morning. 

“Hyuck, are you okay?” Mark asks, tone worried. “You’ve been sneezing a lot since last night, and—“ 

“I’m fine,” Donghyuck quickly cuts, before sneezing for three times continuously. Mark cringes at the irony of Donghyuck’s answer. “It’s just a bad morning, I guess.” 

“You can call for day off, you know.” Mark suggests. 

His partner shakes his head, “No, no. I have an appointment with one of my patient today. She’ll get her last leukemia shots today and I’m not going to let her stay another day at the hospital just because i got a fucking flu.” 

Another sneeze. 

“But—“ 

“Not something I can’t handle,” Donghyuck cuts in once againas he stands, bringing his plates to the dishes. It is a peaceful ten seconds before he goes on a sneezing fits that makes him sway in his place. Mark is by his side in no time, holding him “Are you really sure you’re okay?” 

“I am!” The younger claims and grabs his white coat and bag, before running to the door before Mark can convince him to take the day off. It’s not like he doesn’t want to, but he has his patients to attend and there’s no way he’ll make Sofia wait for another day to go home. 

Doctors don’t get sick, patients are sick. That’s why there are doctors. Doctors stay home, patients suffer. And also the doctors who has to cover for you. Isn’t it some kind of unspoken rule? 

“I’ll go first! See you at the hospital!” Haechan bids goodbye before slamming the front door close, leaving Mark in the kitchen shaking his head seeing his husband’s antics. 

Lee Donghyuck can be so stubborn sometimes.

—————————-

“Good morning, doctor Lee.” The nurses greet Mark as he enters the surgery floor, heading for the changing room. Mark greets back with a smile, feeling good today because his surgery is scheduled at noon, allowing him to he sleep some more after Donghyuck went to work first this morning. Talking about Donghyuck, how is he right now? Mark makes a mental note to check on him after he’s done.

The familiar voice of Lee Jeno is in his peripherals and Mark looks around to find his best friend, only to cringe when the other shows up in front of him with bed head, red rimmed eyes, and a mask over his face. 

“You….. okay?” 

A cough. A sneeze. “I am!” 

Is there some kind of flu bug running around the hospital? 

“You’re… sure?” 

“Don’t worry, nothing I can’t handle.” Mark stuns, feeling it too much like a dejavu. The same exact conversation he had with Donghyuck this morning. 

“Doc, the patient is already being brought in and waiting to be sedated.” A male nurse suddenly pops his head into the changing room, Mark answers with a thumbs up and, “I’ll be there in a few minutes.” 

Storing his bag on his locker, Mark grabs for the mask and the hair cap, handing one to Jeno who is done changing. “Come on doc, we got a live to save!”

—————————-

“Damn, you look… horrible.”

Donghyuck rolls his eyes, “Good afternoon to you too, Renjun.”

They are in the cafetaria right now, Renjun texted an hour ago to meet up for lunch together and of course Donghyuck agreed. But he’s starting to regret his choice because cafetaria in lunch time means it is packed with people, and when people meet, people talk. The buzzing around him is really not good for his pounding head right now. 

“Eum, Hyuck? You’re with me?” 

He blinks his eyes a few times, clearing his vision. “Yes, yes. What do you want to eat?” 

“I think I’m going to go with fried noodles and fried dumplings!.” Renjun answers excitedly, unaware with the change in Donghyuck’s face. 

Fried noodles. Fried dumplings. Fried. With oil. Greasy. 

Donghyuck can feel his stomach starting to act funny and it feels like his breakfast wants to come out right there right now. Knowing that if he doesn’t move right now then something embarrassing will happen, Donghyuck quickly stands up and runs for the nearest toilet. Leaving Renjun alone and confused on the table, before standing up and follows Donghyuck. 

They end up half an hour later in one of the doctor’s lounge in the paed floor, Donghyuck laying down on the sofa with Renjun staring at him judgingly from the chair across him. “So,” Renjun starts, “you know you’re sick but then act all strong and mighty and decided to still go to work today?”

“I’m not sick, Renjun.” Donghyuck answers, eyes still closed because since when do the light in the longue is this bright?! It’s giving him headaches. “Doctors don’t get sick. Isn’t that kind of the unspoken rule here?” 

“You just said it.” 

Donghyuck opens his eyes just to stare at Renjun, annoyed at his friend’s reply. “Stop being so sassy. Now make me some tea, I think my throat needs it.” His friend only sighs, but does not comment any further so Donghyuck is satisfied. When he’s just about to close his eyes for some long desired nap, the door to the doctor’s room opens, revealing Jisung, one of the resident in paed department. 

“Eum, doctor Lee? The otolaryngologist you asked for consult before is finally here. Do you want to meet him now?” 

“Yep! Tell him I’ll be down in a sec.” With that, Jisung excuses himself. 

“Here’s your tea. At least drink this first before you go back to the ward, please.” Renjun pleads, putting the hot cup of tea and an aspirin on both Donghyuck’s hands. He knows if he tries to talk sense to Donghyuck about leaving his job for a while to rest will just going to be a waste of time (because Donghyuck WILL NOT listen), he will only try to at least keep his best friend’s body functioning to the best it can be. 

And he makes a mental note to call Mark later. 

Donghyuck smiles as he receives the cup, the warmth sends a pleasant buzz throughout Donghyuck’s body. The liquid soothes his aching throat for now, and he feels a bit better. He turns to face Renjun, “You know Renjun, maybe you’re right, I’m definitely sick right now.” 

“But,” Donghyuck stands up and put on his white coat, the little tiger pin hanging on his coat pocket dangling as he moves. “Doctors don’t stay home. We push through.”

—————————-

“Hm, it’s quite bloody.” Mark mumbles as he stares at the monitor in front of him, “Hang another bag of blood, please.”

“Hang another bag of saline, please.” Jeno instructs another nurse on his side, Mark stops at his movement. “He already got saline, Jeno. And it’s still half full?” 

“No, no, no.” Jeno shakes his head nonchalantly, “It’s not for him, it’s for me.” 

Noooow, that got Mark’s FULL attention. And when he looks up, he finally notices the metal pole and a hanging IV line right next to Jeno. The nurse that is now changing the saline for Jeno only shrugs when Mark raises his eyebrows in question at her. 

“You?” 

Jeno meets Mark’s eyes, “Why? I feel so dehydrated this morning when I woke up. The saline helps.” 

“Jeno, you should go home. You’re sick.” 

“I’m not! Don’t you worry. The saline helps a lot for the dizziness too.”

“Jeno…” 

The younger one sighs, “I know, i know. Renjun’s been nagging me about this too since morning.”

“Then?” What’s the odds for Mark to deal with two sick people in a day and both are too stubborn to acknowledge that they’re sick? 

“I’ve found a way to push through and I’m not going to break the unspoken rules. Doctors don’t get sick, is that what they told you in school?” 

“Unless my presence here is doing my patient more harm than my absence would, it’s my duty to stay.” 

Mark hums, nodding his head as he ligates another artery that has been ruptured. Practiced hands moving quickly, he can do this with his eyes closed. “Impressive, Jeno. Which blog did you get that line from?” 

“Hey!” 

Mark laughs, before asking for the cauter to his assistant. “But for real, Jeno, you need to go home to rest. We don’t have any surgery after this, can you please, go home and rest? I’m asking you as a friend who is worried.” 

“You sound like my mother,” Jeno shots Mark a look, “but yes, I will. If I can make it home, but if I can’t I will crash in the on-call room.” 

“Whatever suits you.” 

The surgery only ends an hour later and Mark comes out of the surgery room alone. Jeno started to show signs that he probably would faint any minute about half an hour ago (the saline stops working in the end) and Mark commanded him to step out and let him close the patient for the day. Thank God Jeno obeyed without much protest.

Jeno is out on the doctor’s longue sofa, still in his scrub and his IV pole next to him. Mark shakes his head at his friend’s antics today, but it’s like looking back to his younger days in school. Where they would push through everything, even handling the emergency unit when he had fevers up to 39C. The unspoken rule, remember? 

Mark fixes the pillow under Jeno’s head and puts a blanket over his friend’s body before he walks out to the lift. The patient’s family members greet him on his way and he stops for a while to brief them a little about the patient’s condition after surgery. 

They thank him later with big smiles on their faces. Relieved sighs are heard as they turn to hug each other. Mark can’t help but smiles, this kind of thing is what makes he chose to stay on the field. 

He can’t wait to share this happiness with Donghyuck. 

Now, off to the paed floor!

—————————-

Donghyuck is nowhere in sight when he steps into the paed floor. Children laughs and screams and cries already filled his senses, and he makes his way to the nurse table to find Renjun is there filling out some papers.

“Hello there, Renjun! Got a patient here?” 

The red head looks up and grins, “I am a paediatric surgeon for God’s sake, Mark. Of course I have a patient here. In fact, this little girl might be one of your patient too, I plan to consult to your department just now.” 

“Let me guess, Patent Ductus Arteriosus?” 

“Ding dong daeng.” Renjun sing songs. 

“Just send me the name and the room, I’ll task one of my resident to do check and examine on her first before I do.” Mark looks around, “Anyway, have you seen Donghyuck?” 

“Ah, he has otolaryngology consult just now and he’s……. there!” Renjun points to somewhere behind Mark, and when he turns around there he is. Donghyuck with his red nose and dropping eyes. His eyes still light up when he sees Mark, though. 

“What are you doing here?” He immediately latches himself to Mark, laying his head on Mark’s chest and closes his eyes. “Hmm.. you’re so warm. The hospital’s AC today is so cold, I feel so cold since the morning.” 

Mark chuckle as he meets eyes with Renjun, who only shrugs. “The AC is the same just like any other day, Donghyuck. It is just you who are sick.” Mark carresses Donghyuck’s hair softly, “Let’s go home right now, shall we?” 

“It’s nothing, my stomach’s just a little screwy… I’m fine. I still have patients to attend in a minute.” Donghyuck denies, but cuddles closer to Mark. “Let me cuddle you for a sec.” 

All of the sudden, Donghyuck’s body stiffens. “What’s wrong, honey?”

The little blob of hair in Mark’s chest looks up, face contorted in pain. “I want to throw up.” 

Ten minutes on the toilet and Mark has Donghyuck supported on his side with one arm around his waist, ready to go home. Mark offered Donghyuck to get on the wheelchair to the parking lot, but the other said no and insisted that he wanted to walk and he wanted to be as close as he can be with Mark. Who is Mark to deny his lover’s request? 

They bid goodbye to Renjun, who finally relieved that his friend is now in good hands. 

“Renjun-ah,” Mark calls, “Jeno is in the surgery dept changing room. He was about to faint while we were in surgery before. Can you take care of him?” 

“Jeno—“ Renjun sighs, “I told him this morning to just take a day off. He was super dehydrated since last night yet he still insisted.” 

“We both got ourselves stubborn partners, didn’t we?” 

“We— we’re not partners.” Renjun quickly clarifies, but the blush on his cheeks say another thing. Mark leaves the conversation to that, before finally bids goodbye.

—————————-

Donghyuck wakes up to a familiar ceiling in a dim-lit room. The feeling of freshly changed sheets are wonderful under his skin. He doesn’t remember how he got here, the last thing he remembers is hugging Mark in the middle of paed department and he wanted to puke. It’s a combination of blurry faces and muffled words after that, everything went blurred after that exact moment.

Speaking of Mark, where is he? 

Donghyuck reaches out for his side to find nobody is sleeping on the other side of the bed. He feels dissapointment starts to creep but it’s not long until a voice greets him softly, “You’re awake?” 

He looks to his side and finds Mark leaning on his side on the bedroom door, smiling. Mark walks closer to the bed, “how are you feeling? Are you feeling better?” 

Donghyuck nods weakly, his head is still pounding but at least the nausea and dizziness are now less than before. 

“I made you some soup.” Mark says as he lays down right next to Donghyuck, “I know I’m not as good of a cook as you, but I tried. I called mom.” 

“You called mom?” Donghyuck asks with hoarse voice, Mark quickly grabs for the bottle of water he prepared on the bedside table and helps Donghyuck to drink it through the straw. His little husband sends him a thankful gaze. 

“Yep.” Mark nods, “He freaked out, a little bit. But I told him it’s just the usual flu bug and he doesn’t need to worry much.” 

Donghyuck chuckles, it’s so typical of his mom. If Mark didn’t manage to convince him enough, he would fly the first flight from Jeju to Seoul he could find just to take care of his son first hand. 

“He has doctor as a son, and another doctor as son-in-law. Yet he still freaks out everytime one of us is sick.” 

“That’s my mom for you.” Donghyuck grins, “but inside his heart he knows you’ll take care of me well.” 

(*Donghyuck’s mom is Taeyong, refer to my fic ‘Vows’ ^^)

“Am I.. am I taking care of you well?” 

“You take care of me... _so_ well everytime.” Donghyuck answers, wiggling his eyebrows. 

Mark’s face reddens when he realizes what Haechan means, “Ya! It’s not about that!” That brings laughter to Donghyuck, even now, years after their marriage, Mark is always the shy one when the topic is brought up. And Donghyuck always has a great time teasing him everytime.

“Do you want to eat here or in the kitchen?” Mark tries to distract the conversation.

“Where should I choose so I can be fed by you?” Donghyuck scoots closer to wrap his arms around Mark’s middle, laying his head on Mark’s lap and just bask in Mark’s scent. He misses this, just spending time with each other like this. They really need to take a leave together sooner or later. Maybe go for a trip? To Canada to visit Mark’s family? It’s been years, and Donghyuck caught Mark a few times looking at his phone about news of Canada. 

“You’re such a baby.” 

“The baby you like to dote on, just accept it.” 

Or maybe just spending time at home like this. Donghyuck is content with anything as long as he’s Mark. 

“Why are you smiling? What are you thinking?” 

“Hmm? Nothing. Just good things.” 

“Does it involve me?” Mark lands a kiss on top of Donghyuck’s head. 

“The question is, when doesn’t it involve you?” Donghyuck asks back as he looks up to meet Mark’s gaze. 

“I love you, you know that, right?” 

“Everybody loves me.” 

“Way to ruin the mood, Donghyuck.” 

The other giggles, “If you really love me, then bring me my food now. I’m starving.” Donghyuck reaches up to craddle Mark’s face and brings it closer to his, landing a soft peck on his lips. “I love you too.”


	4. a dream comes true

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's time for some change.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dedicated for A, congratulations for your pregnancy!!! And Kak N, who was sick a few days ago and needed markhyuck to heal ^^ and for all the readers of this, thank you so much. I can't really express how happy I am to see your comments & kudos. Thank you for giving this a chance! :)
> 
> Last but not least, enjoy!

“..and that’s why we have to cancel today’s surgery. We can’t take the risk when his condition is in a critical state. It will do more harm to him rather than curing him.” 

The young woman in front of Mark asks again, her face clearly shows that she’s worried. Another young man--her husband, is by her side, silently listening & calming her with gentle carresses. “Yes, mam. We will focus on his general condition first, before we try to open his heart and fix the hole in between his ventricles. This is a hard surgery, so he should be in his most prime condition before this.” 

When he’s done and the woman doesn’t ask further, Mark excuses himself to allow the woman & his husband to have their moment. Mark walks away from there to the nurse table with heavy steps, eyes not leaving the couple for a while. The woman is now crying, her body shakes in the arms of his husband. The husband looks like he’s trying hard not to cry as well, one must be the stronger one for both to keep fighting forward. His gaze never leaving the transparent baby incubator right in front of them, where their firstborn child lies with lots of cables & wires attached to his little body. 

Mark sighs, he just thought it will get easier after a few times, but turns out it feels the same everytime. 

“Rough day?” A voice pipes in from his side, Mark looks to the side to find Renjun opening one of the patient’s archive and starting to write on it. 

 

“I never like the trip to the NICU, to be honest.” Mark shrugs, throwing his head back & closing his eyes to rest for a while. 

Renjun’s nods are unnoticed by Mark, “Well, as much as I have pediatric surgeon as a job, i never really like the trip to the NICU as well. It’s always… quite depressing.” 

“True that.” 

“..because we know that every children that goes in here means… that they need observations. And that never means good.” 

Mark doesn’t reply after that, his mind goes to this morning when he visited the baby’s ward only to see that the condition of the baby he had planned to do an open heart surgery today has dropped, his heart halted when the baby’s heart stopped beating for a while. His memory is blur after that in the midst of CPR, oxygen masks and transporting the baby to the NICU ward. 

“I think I have to go.” Mark finally says, he feels like breaking down and he thinks he needs to see Donghyuck right now. He doesn’t know where Donghyuck exactly is, but first thing first is to get out from the NICU ward for now. 

“Donghyuck is in the babies ward.” As if reading his mind, Renjun tells him. 

“Renjun, you’re the best.”

\---

For Mark, the babies ward is more enjoyable rather than the NICU. At least, it’s not as depressing. But as much as Mark enjoys it, nobody enjoys being there other than Donghyuck. One of the reason he chose paediatric is to be able to stay in the babies ward for as long as he can without no one questioning why he’s there, he’s the peaditrician after all. Mark knows Donghyuck always spends a bit more time in that spesific ward everytime he visits his patients regularly during the day. Maybe bottle-feeding one or two babies, changing their diapers, or only looking at them through the glass. 

The babies ward is relatively silent when Mark arrives there. It’s 2 in the afternoon so he guesses the babies are all taking a nap for now. He greets some of the nurses sitting on the front table before asking for Donghyuck, one of the nurse leads him to one of the room where newborns are usually placed at. 

The sight that greets Mark brings a smile on his face. 

Donghyuck is sitting on a chair, his side is facing Mark. A small bundle is resting on his arms, from the slightly opened door Mark can hear the faint sound of Donghyuck’s voice to ‘Twinkle Twinkle Little Star’. It seems like the baby is reacting positively for Donghyuck to break into a quiet giggle, before making kissy faces at the baby. 

Mark doesn’t know how long he’s standing by the door before Donghyuck notices his presence. If Donghyuck’s smile is already bright before, his smile is brighter now, if that even possible. He mouths a quiet ‘hello’ to Mark before walking closer, the little bundle still in his arms. 

“Introducing, Zhong Chenle. Just born this morning.” Donghyuck whispers to Mark, proudly showing the baby as if it’s his own son. The baby’s eyes are wide open starring at Mark’s, before closing again as he yawns. It gets Mark a little offended, “Am I that boring? Just by seeing me he gets sleepy?” 

Donghyuck laughs at Mark’s silly comment, landing a quick peck on Mark’s pouty lips. “You’re probably the type of dad who reads cardiovascular text book to their children before sleeping their first word would be ‘mitral’ or ‘aorta’.” 

“I’m not!” Mark denies, which quickly silenced by Donghyuck. The little baby Chenle starts to squirm in Donghyuck’s hold, so he bounces lightly and starts to sing again. Mark takes a seat on one of the sofas there provided for mothers who wants to breastfeed their babies, and just enjoys the sight before him. 

His mind wanders, what if… what if they start to think seriously about having a family? Mark is raised in a family of four, with his dad, mom and his older brother in a loving home in Vancouver, Canada. Ever since a child, he never dreams of anything big about family, but he would love to have a family like how his family is. He remembers the days he dreamt of going back home to the loving arms of his partner at home, also tiny arms hugging his legs after a day not seeing his father. He remembers he dreamt about spending the weekend making kites if he has a son, or accompanying his daughter playing with her dolls and having tea time with Mr. Bear.

Mark is never one who is good with kids, he’s awkward and stiff, childrens tend to get bored with him. While Donghyuck, he works magic with them. But that doesn’t mean he doesn’t want to build a family. 

He is in too deep in his thoughts he doesn’t realize the weight settling on his side, and a familiar scent of shampoo invades his nose as Donghyuck lies his head on Mark’s shoulder. Little Chenle is now on his crib, sleeping soundly, happy, full, and content. 

“Did you say you have an open heart surgery today? How come you’re done this early?” 

Mark tenses as he remembers the very reason he is here at the first place, “It is cancelled.” 

“Really?” Donghyuck’s hand is now searching for Mark’s, interlacing their fingers. Bless Donghyuck for being so quick and sensitive when it comes to Mark’s feelings. “Why? Do you want to talk about it?” 

“His heart stopped breathing for a while this morning.” Donghyuck keeps silent, urging Mark to continue. “He’s in NICU right now, gotta make sure first he’s fit for the surgery before I schedule it again.” 

Donghyuck hums, “It’s okay, Mark. Things happen.” 

They are silent after that, Mark is still watching the rows of babies’ cribs as his mind wanders once again. The talk about building a family is not something unfamiliar to both of them, but the question of ‘should we do it now?’ is always left hanging because of many reasons. The first thing about them deciding to take it slow first, it was during their first or second year of marriage. After that, it’s about the schedule they both have. They were just freshly finished their residency and still building their career from zero all over again. They were afraid to not be able to handle the responsibility coming from having another live to take care from because if they want to do it, they want to do it with their whole heart and dedication. 

“The babies are cute, aren’t they? They make me so happy.” 

Mark remembers the little smile Chenle gave Donghyuck before. The image of him, Donghyuck and another little bundle of joy they can call theirs enters his mind, “Yes, they are.”

\---

The sun is starting to lay low towards the west when they step out of the hospital front door. The sunrays are welcomed as the weather for the past days are not exactly warm even if it’s March already. Mark fixes the scarf around Donghyuck’s neck before taking one of his hand and put it in his pocket with his own hand. They decided to forgo their car today because of the great weather, opting to go home by feet and enjoy their little mini unexpected date. 

“Do you want to go to that restaurant? The one we always visit during residency days?” 

Donghyuck nods, only his eyes are seen from behind the scarf. Being born in the middle of summer heat on June 6th, he is the literal embodiment of the summer sun himself. And as if it’s related, Donghyuck doesn’t tolerate cold as well as Mark. But when it’s summer and the sun is up high in the sky, Donghyuck will like to go out and just bathed in the sunrays. 

“It’s been a while since we last do this,” Mark says, “we should do this more often.” 

“Yes, I think we’ve been really busy for the past year to not be able to do things like this.” Donghyuck agrees, “It’s just something small like walking together back to home, but i really appreciate it.” 

“Do you think we’ve turned into workaholic who doesn’t think of anything other than their job?” 

“Maybe yes, maybe no. The first year of building careers are always confusing.” Donghyuck is thinking for a while before continuing, “And more over, with the path we chose, being a doctor, it’s kind of expected. But as long as it doesn’t do harm to both of our personal lives, I think it’s still tolerable.” 

Without them realizing, they are now in front of the restaurant they wanted to go. The bell rings as they open the door. A familiar woman in her mid-fifties comes to greet them, and Donghyuck detaches himself from Mark to go hug the woman. This woman knows them so well from their frequent visits during their residency days, when the time to get food is always limited so they always went to the nearest spot and this place was their to-go place most of the time. After the little reunion, she ushers them to their usual place, thankfully empty, and takes their order before dissapearing to the kitchen once again. 

There is a children high chair placed close to their table on Mark’s side, and the little girl sitting there seems to take interest on Mark’s maroon colored winter coat. One of her little hand is reaching out as if to touch the softness of the fabric, and her eyes never leave Mark even for a while. Mark waves a shy hello to the little girl, which she replies with a big smile, showing her two front teeth. 

Their moment is interupted when the mother of the girl picks her up and goes to the cashier to his husband. The little girl’s eyes are still trained on Mark, and Mark doesn’t know why but he’s a little bit emotional about it. When it comes to babies and childrens, it’s usually Donghyuck. It gives a little boost of confindence inside his heart about maybe, maybe he can be a great father in the future. 

“Someone is apparently so entranced with my husband,” Donghyuck’s words brings Mark’s attention back from the little girl, who doesn’t forget to wave to Mark before dissapearing behind the restaurant’s door with her family. “I can’t believe I am now have to fight a little girl for your attention.” 

Mark rolls his eyes, before pulling out the chopsticks and spoons and puts it on his & Donghyuck’s side of the table. “Don’t be like that. You’re going to get jealous to our own children too in the future?” 

Donghyuck’s silence that followed gets Mark nervous for some reason, mentally hitting himself for not be careful with his words. He can’t bring himself to look at Donghyuck and busies himself with his food he doesn’t notice the small smile blossoming on Donghyuck’s face after the mention of children coming out from Mark’s mouth. 

“Don’t worry,” Donghyuck picks up his spoon, “I’ll be the one who will make you jealous because our children will love me so much they won’t leave my side.”

\---

They go to the park near the hospital building after that because it’s still too early to go home. Even from far they can hear the children’s laughs and screams, it’s 5 in the afternoon and they are all out filled with energy after a hearty nap. They get close to the kids area where the kids usually play at. 

A loud “Uncle Maaaaaark!!!!!” is heard first before a weight is settling on Mark’s legs, surprising him. He looks down only to be greeted with the sight of..

“Herin!!! Don’t run away too far!!” The familiar figure of Renjun runs to them, Jeno laughing not too far behind them. Herin is one of Renjun’s niece from his super extended family in Korea and China, her mom is a freelancer writer who sometimes need to have meetings outside of work hours. Because her father lives in London for work, sometimes Renjun (and Jeno included) offers to babysit when Herin’s mom goes for meetings. Sometimes Renjun brings Herin to their hangouts together, so that’s why they’re also close with the little bubbly girl. 

“Uncle Maaark, come play with me to the swing please!!” Herin jumps at her place, shaking Mark’s arm because she’s just that excited. 

“No hello and kiss for Donghyuck uncle?” 

Herin lets go of Mark’s hand for a while before going to Donghyuck who is already crouching down, kissing both of his cheeks and also giving him a hug. “Hello, uncle Donghyuck. I love you, but today I want to be with Uncle Mark.” She turns to face Mark, putting her best pouty face. “Pleaaaaseeee, Uncle Mark??? Play with meeeeee?” 

And who is Mark to say no to that face?

After the duo is off to the swings, Renjun excuses himself to buy some hot drinks for all of them. Jeno offers to help, but Renjun turns it down, telling him to just be with Donghyuck and keeps him company. They settle in one of the bench where they still can see Hina and Mark. Mark is now pushing the swing as high (but still safe) as he can, from her face they can see Hina is enjoying it so much. 

“An afternoon at the park with Hina,” Donghyuck eyes Jeno with a teasing smile, “you three are such a family.” 

Jeno laughs lightly, “What family, I can’t even confess to Renjun just yet.” 

“It’s because you’re a fool,” Donghyuck scoffs, “Everyone can see just how much both of you are so in love with each other yet you can’t be a man and just fckin confess already.” 

“Hey, be careful! There are lots of children here!” 

Donghyuck only rolls his eyes, “Don’t avoid the topic, Jeno. As much as I’m fine with Renjun calling me late at night when he’s drunk just to hear how handsome you’re that day, how nice you look when you wake up that day, how close you look with that nurse in ortho; i just want him to be happy, really.” 

Jeno doesn’t say anything after that, and Donghyuck hopes it means good things. Donghyuck is closer to Renjun than to Jeno (Jeno usually talks with Mark), and even if both he and Mark know about the undying love of the two for each other, they decided not to meddle in and just let Renjun and Jeno sort it out themselves. But it’s been years and Donghyuck knows if he doesn’t push once or twice, it won’t happen because both Jeno and Renjun are such worrywarts. 

“I’ll think about it. I can’t wait to finally make it official with him too.” Jeno finally says, and Donghyuck sends him a grateful smile. “Thank you, Jeno.” 

Mark and Herin are now moving to the slide, and Donghyuck smiles as he sees Mark guides Hina up the stairs by holding her hand, before running to the end of the slide to welcome her in his arms as she slides down. The way Hina puts her arms around Mark’s neck and the way Mark holds her, Donghyuck really can’t describe how he feels right now. 

“He seems ready to have a family, doesn’t he?” 

Donghyuck looks at Jeno, “Does he? It’s been a while since we last talked about this..” 

“I know he does… I know Mark,” Jeno says, “I think he just doesn’t want to burden you with it, so he waits until you bring it up first or something. But I know he wants, he’s been dropping hints here and there when we meet up and talk sometimes.” 

Donghyuck leans on the bench, “Sometimes I watch couples with kids and I wonder how it feels like to have one with Mark.”

“Like, waking up in the morning and making breakfast for both of them. And giving a bath to our little son or daughter. Hearing their laughter as we sit down for breakfast together before work. Dropping them in the daycare, picking them up with lots of kisses and promises of their favorite food for dinner. Showing them around about our works, our favorite songs, our favorite movies. Send them to the courses they want, going to their recital.” Donghyuck takes a deep breath, “It must be wonderful, right, Jeno-ya?” 

Hina seems tired for now and now in Mark’s hold with her head on Mark’s shoulder. They’re walking to the bench where Donghyuck and Jeno sit. Renjun joins them not long after, ruffling Hina’s hair with one hand that’s not holding the coffee cups holder. 

Before the trio get closer, Jeno turns his head to look at Donghyuck, “I am no right person to answer that question. Just talk to him, Donghyuck. I am like you too, I just want my best friend to be happy.” 

“Hey, you two seem serious!” Renjun’s voice greet them, the man taking a seat next to Jeno because of course Mark will take the one next to Donghyuck. “You guys are not talking about me, right?” 

“Sshhh, not too loud, Renjun.” Mark warns, Donghyuck notices the way he manouvers Hina slightly in his arms so she can sleep comfortably without waking her up. After he’s done, he looks up at Donghyuck who is looking at him intently. “Why? Why are you looking at me like that?” 

“It’s nothing,” Donghyuck shakes his head, “I’m just… I’m just very very happy. You know that right?” 

Donghyuck knows Mark thinks he’s acting weirdly, but he doesn’t question it further. “Uhm, yes. I am happy too.”

\---

One hour later they bid goodbye to Renjun, Jeno and Herin because her mom will pick her up soon. On the way back home, Donghyuck can’t keep himself away from Mark. Even when they’re waiting for the bus, even when they’re on the bus, when they get down, on the elevator even. They only break apart when Donghyuck needs to get the housekey from his bag. Mark is a bit puzzled with the attitude, but he guesses it’s just because of the cold temperature and really, he doesn’t protest. He likes it, even. 

They clean themselves up before getting into their pajamas and settling down in bed, even though it’s still 7 in the evening. The lights are off except for the table lamp on both of their bedside tables, casting a warm comfortable glow around the room. The TV is on in low volume, playing an old romantic comedy movie that both don’t remember the title. Mark is in his favorite position, with his head laying down on Donghyuck’s lap and his husband’s fingers threading through soft dried hair. 

“Mark,” Donghyuck calls 50 minutes into the movie, Mark only answers with a hum because his mind is still focusing on the movie. 

“I want to start a family, with you.” With that rolling off of Donghyuck’s tongue, Mark’s reaction is as fast as the lightning strikes Donghyuck is afraid he might have a concussion from it. He immediately sits up and looks at Donghyuck with wide eyes, as if not believing what he has heard. 

“Donghyuck, what did you say?” 

“I want, I want to start a family with you.” Donghyuck says this time, louder and firmer, to show Mark just how much he means it. 

“Donghyuck…” Mark cups his hands on Donghyuck’s face, “I’m.. thank you, thank you, thank you.” And he leans in for a kiss, which Donghyuck welcomes. It doesn’t take long before they need oxygen and have to part. Just then Donghyuck notices the shine in Mark’s eyes. 

“Oh.. Mark…” 

“No.. no.. no…” Mark laughs breathily, a tear slips down on his cheek. “It’s happy tears. Really. Pure happiness.” 

Donghyuck raises a hand to wipe another tear that’s threating to slip again, “Are you that happy, my dear?” 

“I can’t, I can’t even describe..” Mark takes a deep breath, “I can’t even describe how I feel right now, Donghyuck. It’s like a dream comes true….”

“...building a family with you is my dream comes true.” 

They share another kiss, this time with wide smiles on their faces when they apart. 

“Do you think I’ll be a great father?” Mark asks, doubt slipping in his words. 

“You will be.” Donghyuck answers, confidently. “We both will be the best parents our children gonna have.”


	5. the midnight talk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> it's just random talk of them in the middle of the night; about their decision, about marriage, about the future.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> might be a little bit boring because there are lots of conversation.. but just like what they said, real conversation is sexy ;) hope you all enjoy this! xoxo

_“Code blue, code blue!! We need someone to help here!”_

_The pen in Mark’s hold drops. Leaving the nurse table, he runs to the room where the call for help came from. His heart drops when he enters the room and spots a baby, lying still on his baby box. The loud sound of emergency medicine cart rolling next to him wakens him up, the nurses are already looking at him with their stance ready, in case Mark needs to do something to help him._

_Mark quickly takes out the baby from the baby box and gets up to the bed before kneeling. He brings the baby close to him, giving the little bundle artificial breathing through his mouth. After two times, he gently lays him down on the bed before starting the CPR._

_1.. 2.. 3.. 4.. 5.._

_There’s no sound other than Mark’s harsh breathing inside the room, even the baby’s mother can only watch from the side with tears streaming down her face, she doesn’t even have energy to say anything anymore._

_25.. 26… 27… 28.. 29… 30…_

_Mark crouches down to sense any signs of breathing, his heart breaks some more when he notices nothing. He catches from the side of his eyes that one of the nurse is trying to give something to him and once he notices that it’s the defibrilator, he takes hold of the paddles quickly._

_“Charge to 6 Joules please.” The machine rings, “All, clear?”_

_“Clear.”_

_The first shock is delivered. The baby is still not reacting._

_“Up to 8 joules.” The machine rings, “All clear?”_

_“Clear.”_

_The second shock is delivered. No reaction._

_Mark lets go of the paddles and back to give the baby artificial breaths again, before starting another phase of chest compressions. His hope is slipping away as the seconds pass, but there’s nothing in his mind other than that he has to save this baby. He has to, even if it takes all of his mind and energy._

_Without realizing another two minutes has passed and there is still no sign from the baby. Mark stops his move, sweats are starting to drench on his pressed shirt. He hangs down his head, in shame. As if knowing what’s on his mind, there’s a scream coming from the side and when he looks aside, the mother of the baby faints, thankfully his husband is there to catch her before she falls to the floor._

_Mark looks back to the baby right in front of him, sleeping still, sleeping peacefuly, now for forever. He doesn’t realize he’s crying until he tastes the salt in his mouth._

_“Pronounced death July 19th, 2020. 12:34 p.m”_

\---

“Mark?” Mark notices the first call as he tries to open his eyes. The vision around him still blurs when the second call enters his ears. Now he recognizes it as Donghyuck’s voice. There’s a touch of familiar hand on top of his head, lazily caressing his hear in a gentle manner. It takes Mark a while before he has his vision clear and his brain very much awake to assess his surroundings. Just then he realizes that he’s in his & Donghyuck’s room, laying on top of their very bed that’s covered by sheets chosen by Donghyuck (it’s his turn this time, so Mark has to deal with the spiderman bedsheets for the week).

“What-- What happened?” 

Donghyuck raises his brows at Mark’s question, “Mark, are you okay?” 

“Was I-- was I in the hospital? I was trying to save the baby who turned a-fib and, and..” Mark can feel that he’s starting to get worked up again before the sound of Donghyuck’s ‘sssh’ comes along with his hold on Mark’s face, “Hon, it’s just a nightmare.” 

“A nightmare?” 

“Yes, it is.” Mark looks up to see Donghyuck leaning back to the bed’s headboard, dressed in his old tattered university hoodie and his round reading glasses slipping to the tip of his nose. Mark wonders how even under just the dim light of their room’s bedside lamps and sleep clothes, Donghyuck is still the most beautiful person Mark has ever met in his life. Especially when he’s smiling, like right now. 

“I guess that answers my question as why you were frowning in your sleep.” Donghyuck giggles, “I almost woke you up, but you look so cute so I didn’t want to.” 

“There’s nothing funny about my dream.” Mark says gloomily, curling into the blanket some more. 

“Do you want to talk about it?” 

Mark is silent for ten seconds before he sighs, “It’s about babies again.” 

“You seem to dream a lot about babies lately.” Donghyuck hesitates for a while, “Is it probably related to the decision we made recently?”   
A few weeks ago, they finally sat down after dinner to really talk about the declaration Donghyuck gave to Mark the night before about wanting to build a family. After long and deep talk, they finally decided to take things seriously this time. Both made time to look for possible orphanage they can adopt from, and all things in between. It costed them less sleep, doing it in the middle of their already busy job, but as far as Donghyuck knows, both of them enjoy it nonetheless. Mark said he’s ready, but sometimes the process itself can get overwhelming to them. Did Mark possibly change his mind? 

Mark doesn’t answer. The panic inside Donghyuck starts to grow but he tries to keep his emotion in check, “Mark? I know the past week must be overwhelming for both of us, and maybe more for you. Do you-- do you want us to postpone it for a little more? Waiting for another one or two years?” 

The seconds feel like hours for Donghyuck as he waits for Mark’s answer, his heart can’t stop reciting prayers for the unwanted not to happen. He’s about to say something again when Mark beats him to it, “No, I don’t want to wait for more. I think it’s just.. i’m overwhemled. But I think I’ll be fine in no time. It’s just me processing things.” 

Donghyuck lets out a relieved sigh so loud it grabs Mark’s attention. He sends Donghyuck a sorry smile, “I made you worried for a second there, huh? I’m sorry.” 

“You did,” Donghyuck flicks Mark’s forehead, “but it’s okay. I understand.” 

They stay in silence after that, Donghyuck is back to read whatever book he has bought that week while Mark is still lost in his own world. It’s only after half an hour Mark finally breaks the silence, “Hyuck, I’m worried.” 

“Hmmm?” 

“What if we can’t be good parents?” 

“Why did you ask that?” 

“The world is starting to get crueler. Kidnappers everywhere, pedhopils hide behind the walls. Basically there is danger in every corner. What if we can’t protect them?” 

Sensing that the talk will probably be long, Donghyuck takes off his glasses and puts them aside along with his book. He turns his body so he’s now facing Mark, all attention to his husband. 

“Nobody can guarantee that we will be a great parents,” Donghyuck starts, “even us can’t guarantee ourselves that we will be a great parents. But that’s challenge in raising a child, I think? There is no wrong and right. This is not surgery procedures where we have the steps we need to follow everytime.” 

“We might make mistake. Big ones, hopefully not much. And small ones, and I bet we’ll make lots of it.” Donghyuck says with a little smile, mind already picturing their silliness taking care a baby for the first time. “But that’s parenthood. And there’s no such things as perfect parents, it will depend on how the situation turns out later.” 

“And as we try, we learn. Don’t worry you’ll not be alone in this.” 

“I dream about a baby.. going into an A-fib. And I can’t save him.” Mark’s eyes are gazed afar as if he’s visioning the situation in his mind, “I can’t not remember the face of his parents… Hyuck… Even this breaks my heart, I don’t think I can’t even live when it happens to my own child.” 

“That’s really a horrible dream to have.” Donghyuck notes, “but don’t you worry about something that we don’t know whether it will happen or not, Mark. It’s unhealthy for you.

And if, if that thing does happen in the future, we’ll survive. We’ll try to survive. I know I probably can only say this because that is not happening right now. Maybe when it does really happen in the future I’ll be crying nonstop and just can’t functioning anymore.” 

“But we’ll try, right Mark? Didn’t we say that in our vow? I will laugh with you in times of joy..” 

“..and be your anchor everytime the world tries to drag you down.” 

“Wow you still remember?” Donghyuck asks, amazed and touched at the same time. It’s been three years since their wedding and he still can picture the day very clearly inside his head. The smiles, the tears, the laughters. The walking down the aisle, when his father finally gave his hand to Mark, when they said their vow, when they changed rings, when they finally kissed… 

“Of course I am,” Mark smiles proudly, “I still can continue it until the end.” 

“Really? Prove it” 

Mark takes a deep breath, looking right into Donghyuck eyes as he continues. “I will share in your dreams and support you as you strive to achieve your goal. I choose you. To stand by your side and sleep in your arms.” 

“To be joy in your heart and food for your soul.” 

“To learn with you and grow with you, even as time and life change us both.” They finish together as they look at each other with nothing but adoration and love. Donghyuck feels goosebumps all over his body, feeling like dejavu, standing on the altar to be married to the love of his life. The differences will be then he wore pressed suits designed by one of their friend, and now they are in their sleep clothes & matching socks. Then they were standing on a cliff overlooking the sea as the sun set, and now they are on their bed in the middle of the night. But everything still feels the same, even better maybe. Knowing that their vows, their dreams years ago about building a family together, is no more just a dream but a reality they are living right now. 

“So you do remember.” 

Mark smiles cheekily, “I told you.” 

“What is the thing that you think is the most different, from before the wedding and after the wedding?” 

“What’s different… hmmmm…. maybe as for routines are not much different because we already live together even before the wedding… but there is this one thing I really like, just something simple.” Mark takes a breath, “For me to finally be able to call you my husband, my little husband. For people to refer you as my husband, for people to refer me as your husband. It’s…. it’s just… wonderful, I guess.” 

“God, Mark…” Donghyuck laughs, “You’re really whipped for me, aren’t you?” 

“I’m just answering your question here!!” Mark quickly retorts, his face red as if he just caught of doing something embarassing. But anyone in their circle of friends will agree with Donghyuck, seeing how Mark acts around Donghyuck everytime. 

“Okay, husband.” 

“Now it’s my turn,” 

“We’re doing Q&A right now?” 

“Just shut up and listen Donghyuck,” 

Donghyuck breaks into a laugh, he loves messing up with Mark. It’s kind of one of his favorite things to do. “Okay, okay. Shoot.” 

“What is the thing you want to do together with our child later?” 

“Wow if you ask me that, there’s a lot of things.” Mark raises up his point finger, “Pick just one, the thing you realllly want to do as a family.” 

Donghyuck spends some time thinking, “I really want to travel with him, or her, along with you, as a family. To be exact, probably to Jeju to meet my family, and also to Canada to meet your family. I want him, or her, to know that everything that will happen in the future, they got the family supporting her from behind. Because that’s how my family is to me.” 

“That’s a wonderful idea, to be honest. Dad will be thrilled to meet them for sure.” 

“Ten would baby them soooo much with lots of toys and clothes.” 

“And by 5, he probably will buy them an apartment for them to quote stay everytime they visit their grandparents in Canada end quote.” 

“Your dad can be a little excessive sometimes, but he’s wonderful.” 

“The reason why papa married him, even until now they are still so whipped with each other.” Mark giggles, remembering those times he had the second embarassment just because his papa and dad just couldn’t keep their hands off each other. 

“I also want them to know about our job. For us to really show her what we do for life.” Donghyuck continues, “I’ve heard a lot about doctors abandoning their child because of their work schedule. I don’t judge them in any way, but I want to try not to make my child feel abandoned due to my work.” 

“Schedules are the things I’m worried the most. But Jisung, my resident, is going to graduate soon so I’m planning to take him under my wings so we can share the patients or something so I can have more time to spend with our child.”

“You already thinking that far? While me…” 

Donghyuck places a comforting hand on Mark’s arm, “It’s okay, Mark. I know the risks when I decided to build a family with a surgeon. You can take it slow, and start to plan from now. There is no such thing as ‘being late’. And now about you, what do you really want to do with your child?”

“Like you… nothing extravagant. Maybe playing at the park every noon before dinner? Reading them storybook before bed? I’m in for those parenting shit like that.” 

Donghyuck tsks, “We gotta fix that tongue of yours before we let a child in this house.” 

“Says someone who curse at least 5 times in a day.” 

“I DO NOT!!” 

Mark waves Donghyuck off, he has another question inside his mind. “Do you think, you’ll direct your child to be a doctor, like you too?” 

The answer is immediate, Donghyuck shakes his head. “If it really what they want to be, then I’m okay. Even though I really don’t want them to get through the stress and hardships, because I’ve been through that and it’s all horrible.” 

“I’ll let them decide, enroll them to whatever course they want to try. Ballets, dance, singing, cooking, just name it. I don’t want them to grow up to be smart, but I want them to be well-mannered and full of passion. Searching for good grades is easy, but searching for passion is the most difficult thing in this world.” Just as he finishes his answer, Donghyuck breaks into a yawm. He glances at the clock across their bed, it’s nearing two in the morning. 

“You need to sleep, Donghyuck.” 

“And you don’t?” Donghyuck asks as he positions himself on the bed, getting to the most comfortable position with the blanket covered his body up until his chin. Summer boy can’t handle the cold, remember?

“I’m going to write some things first, you go sleep. We need lots of energy for tomorrow, we’ll go to one of the orphanage, right?” 

Donghyuck’s eyes open as soon as he hears that, a smile is making it’s way to his face. “Yes!! I really can’t wait to see them.” 

“Me too, Donghyuck. Me too.” 

“But, Mark, can we drop by the hospital for a while first before going to the orphanage? I really want to see Chenle.” 

“Chenle? The baby from before? How’s his mom doing?” 

Donghyuck shakes his head, “Still not doing well.. the haemorrhage did so bad with her brain. I’m not even sure she’ll survive.” He sighs, “Chenle hasn’t even meet her yet.” 

There are fingers interlancing themselves in between Donghyuck’s ones and he sighs contently at the contact. Everything about Mark always calms him down. Mark brings Donghyuck’s hand close and kiss the knuckles softly, “Let’s just pray for the best okay? We’ll meet him tomorrow and spend some time with him.” 

“Okay,” Donghyuck closes his already-heavy eyes, “Good night, Mark.” 

“Good night to you too, my sun.”


	6. jealousy sucks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mark is being completely unreasonable, but he panicked, so who can blame him?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one requested by P (@hyuckiyowo, i miss you on twitter dearie)!! Sorry I can't make them fight for long because I'm just THAT weak when it comes to them. Hope you're enjoying this, dear P and readers!! (And forgive my second attempt at humor guys)

Mark wakes up to the sound of his alarm clock ringing inside the dimly lit room. One of his arms reaches out to turn it off, face scowling as if the clock has offended him in a way. His other hand searches for comfort to his side, wanting to pull Donghyuck closer and maybe spend a minute or two cuddling before they need to head out for work. Half of Mark wanting to propose the idea of both of them ditching work just for today to spend the whole day sleeping and cuddling at home because it’s Friday anyway, nobody will realize them missing because everyone is so excited for weekend. 

(But it’s not like Donghyuck will agree. They’re starting to turn into each other right now, Mark being the sloppy, rebellious one and Donghyuck being the more responsible between the two of them.)

Ditching or not, Mark’s train of thoughts halt when his hand can’t find the softness of Donghyuck’s skin nor the familiar feeling of his favorite pajama. He pops one of his eyes open, only to see that there’s clearly no one next to him. The side of Donghyuck’s bed is empty and just now Mark realizes that the curtain is already slightly opened, which only serves as a sign that Donghyuck has woken up (he doesn’t sleeping with the curtains open, ‘it’s making me feels like i’m being watched’ Donghyuck once said. Paranoid at it’s best). 

A little yellow post-it on the stack of books on Donghyuck’s bedside table brings attention to Mark, and he reaches for his sunglasses before he reads it. 

‘going to the hospital first because i want to show Lucas the paed wing ! i made you breakfast, just reheat it at the microwave. see you later. love, donghyuck’ 

Lucas. A G A I N. 

The name has ignited the fire in him lately. 

Time for a quick review. 

Lucas is the newly graduated paeditrician who was also Donghyuck’s batchmate during the medical school days, and now he is also applying at the same hospital they’re working at right now. Lucas has passed the basic requirements and such, and now will undergo trial phase where he will work at the hospital but still supervised by the board. By the end of the trial and if Lucas is approved by the board, then he will pe a permanent doctor there. 

Donghyuck, so excited because there’s finally a new friend at his field that is finally close to his age (the other paeditricians are mostly old, close to the retiring age), let alone the new guy is also his friend, determined to teach Lucas everything about the hospital so he will be accepted as permanent doctor. 

While his intention is good and really understandable, there is someone who has different opinion about it. Surprise, surprise….

It’s Mark. 

The reason? One of that is what just happened this morning. Mark feels that Donghyuck is getting busier (while he’s already busy at the first place) and the little time they have in between works, is now being used to either show Lucas the chemo ward, or Lucas asks about how does consulting to other department work in here, or gonna introduce Lucas to the other team. 

Mark is not the kind of partner that should cling for like, 24/7. But when he misses his Donghyuck, he misses him :( 

He’s dreading going to the hospital again today. His mood has been ruined. He lays on the bed for another fifteen minutes, breathing in and breathing out, trying to calm himself down to prevent himself from breaking into tears because he just misses Donghyuck so much. He misses his cuddles, his little kisses on the nose, his smile, his touch, his crinkling eyes when he smiles-- 

Oh! What if Donghyuck finally realizes how lame can Mark be and he turns to Lucas? Mark has seen them walking through the hallways, seeing Donghyuck laughing at whatever Lucas told him. He’s seen them to side by side, their height difference making them look really cute. He’s heard the nurses coo-ing at them from afar, before silenced by the cold stare Mark sends them (he can be deadly when he wants to).

Mark knows he’s being really unreasonable right now but then again, he has his moments. And this is one of them. 

His mind is interupted once again by the sound from his phone, signalling that a message comes in. Still with sleep induced hazed, he drags his body to grab for his phone before plopping down the bed face down once again. The name on the screen is Donghyuck, it wakes Mark up fully in no time. 

_From : lil’ bear_

_Good morning. Are you up already? Sorry for not being there when you wake up. See you later, husband. Xoxo_

Well, maybe today is not so bad after all. 

\---

Nope, Mark wants to retract that statement.

He’s just done with the only surgery scheduled for him that day and wanting to drop by Donghyuck’s office to hang out and just see the other. The paediatric floor is relatively calm today, Mark doesn’t have any problem walking around without little kids almost running into him here and there. The nurses at the reception table greets him and because they’re just so used to it, directly informing him that Donghyuck is indeed in his office. With Lucas. Mark resists the urge to roll his eyes at the fact, reminding himself that he should act civil. 

He opens the door without knocking and the sight he sees is something he never really expects. 

Lucas has his arms around Donghyuck’s shoulder from behind, they’re now facing away from the door so Mark can only sees their backs. Mark’s ears are buzzing and he can’t hear anything but he notices Donghyuck’s eyes closing and his mouth opening into something he can guess as big laugh. He rests his back for a while on the wall, breathing in, breathing out. Seconds pass and there is no one coming out from the room, Mark guesses they didn’t even realize the door opened just prior. But then again, who will notice their surroundings when they’re busy having fun? 

Should Mark go inside and pretend he didn’t see anything? 

Or should Mark confront them, right there, right now? 

After minutes contemplating, Mark decides to just go away for now. If anything really happens and there’s really something that indeed needs to be confronted and talked about, Mark wants to face it with clearer mind. 

The nurses are a bit surprised when they see him passing them again, now to different directions. 

“You done, doctor Lee?” 

Mark only smiles, “He looks busy with his paper, I don’t want to disturb him. I’ll get going first.” With that, Mark is out the door.

\---

He finds himself on the hospital rooftop not long after, sitting on one of the bench, overlooking the view of Seoul from above. He is not there to admire the view anyway, as his mind is buzzing with a lot of things. The things he saw keeps playing on his mind like a broken record.

So his worry is true? 

Where did it go wrong? What did Mark do wrong? 

Is it because of the pressure from their recent plan to adopt a child? The other day Mark was the one having cold feet over it and now Donghyuck? If yes, then why didn’t Donghyuck say anything about it? 

Does finally Donghyuck realize that Mark is not as good as he was before? 

Is he…. Mark doesn’t even want to think about it but the question keeps appearing in his mind. Is he…. Is Donghyuck falling out of love? 

“Ah, you’re here.” a familiar voice enters his sense. Mark can’t help but feeling the warmth spreading inside his chest even though that probably it’s not the best time for them to meet. Not yet. Another familiar weight settles itself next to Mark, it’s not long after the person lays his head on Mark’s shoulder. Mark smiles, he has always said that Mark’s shoulder is his favorite place to lay on, that he has made his permanent residence at Mark’s shoulder. 

Sadly, it’s probably not for so long anymore. 

“I searched for you at the surgery quarters but you’re not there. Why didn’t you tell me that you only have one surgery for the day! If I knew, we could go for lunch together.”

Mark keeps silent. 

“Then Jeno told me that you’re here.” Donghyuck takes a breath, “Why are you here? You only come here when you have something to think about.” 

“And usually it doesn’t mean good.” 

“The nurses also said that you dropped by. Why didn’t you meet me at my office?”

I did. But you were with Lucas, hugging and laughing. What kind of person am I to interrupt. 

Mark doesn’t know how long has passed when he tries to search for the right words to say before he breaks the silence between them, “Donghyuck, I want you to be honest with me.” Mark can sense that Donghyuck is a bit confused with what he says but he lets Mark continues, “Are you-- are you falling out of love?” 

The question got Donghyuck to sit up straight immediately, wide eyes looking at Mark with unbealiavable expression. “What?!” 

“Don’t-- don’t make me repeat the question, Donghyuck. It’s hard.” 

“What---” Donghyuck stops, taking his breath. “What made you ask that question?” 

Mark looks down, staring down at his fingers. He contemplates whether to tell Donghyuck what he saw for a while, but in the end he decides that the faster he gets the closure, the better. “I-- I saw you with Lucas just now. He was hugging you from behind and you were laughing and--” 

The reaction Mark got from Donghyuck is beyond expectation. He expects Donghyuck to stiffens or being nervous about it or straight-up denying (which only confirms that everything is true, according to Mark), or apologizing or something. Anything but… like this. Donghyuck is now laughing like he just heard the funniest thing he’s ever heard, clutching his stomach as his body rocks with the intensity of his laugh.

Mark is puzzled. What is this reaction? Is Donghyuck laughing at him? Is this all a joke? Is his feeling a joke?

“Donghyuck--” Mark wants to say something again but Donghyuck stops him, “Wait, wait.” Donghyuck says in between his laugh, “I’ll calm down first before I tell you the truth.” 

So wait Mark does. He is just watching as Donghyuck finishes with his laugh, his face red and he is wiping the tears on the corner of his eyes. He takes a few deep breath to supress the laugh threatening to come out before turning to Mark, a big smile on his face. 

“Mark, you do know Heimlich’s Manouver, right?” 

“What?” Now it’s Mark’s turn to be confused. 

“I was eating my lunch at the office with Lucas. We talked and he said something funny. And I laughed, forgetting I had food inside my mouth.” Donghyuck’s cheeks are now red but for completely a different reason, “A piece of meat went down the wrong pipe and I choked. Lucas was just trying to help me.” 

“What?” 

“Embarassing, I know.” Donghyuck is smiling bashfully himself. “But thankfully the meat is out and I didn’t die because of lack of oxygen. Well, here I am.” 

“But-- but you laughed--” 

“I laughed?” Donghyuck looks at him confused, “If you say that my attempt to inhale air as laughing then maybe you can say, yes i was laughing. But really, i opened my mouth wide like that because I was trying to put air inside my lungs, that’s all.” 

Mark is clearly clueless about what to reply. Out of all things, he really didn’t expect this. The love angsty drama just turned into a comedy all in a blink of an eye. Donghyuck is indeed interesting. 

“I… don’t know what to say.” Mark finally says. Donghyuck laughs as he puts his arms around Mark’s middle, “Mark, are you jealous?” 

“I’m not!” Mark denies, even if it’s a bit late for it now. 

Mark can literally feel Donghyuck rolling his eyes at his denial, but then the arms around him tightens. “But, I can understand where you’re coming from. I haven’t been the greatest partner to you for this weekend.” Donghyuck sadly says, this time Mark puts his arm around Donghyuck’s shoulder. 

“It’s okay, I--” 

“No, it’s not okay. I’ve been neglecting you for this whole trial period thing with Lucas and I’m very sorry for it.” 

Mark squeezes Donghyuck’s shoulder, “It’s okay now Donghyuck, at least you know now.” 

Donghyuck sighs, “It’s just.. I’m happy that finally there is a new paeditrician around so I can divide my task to him. So I can be more focused on taking care of our child later. That’s why I really want to help Lucas so he can be permanent doctor here.” 

Mark can’t help but smile at that. In the end, all of Donghyuck’s intention still have one goal, which is for the sake of them and their little family in the future. Mark beats himself mentally for ever doubting Donghyuck at the first place. He turns his head to land a long kiss on top of the smaller’s head, “Thank you, Donghyuck. For doing all of this for our little family.” 

“It’s nothing. We promised each other that we’ll make it work, didn’t we?” 

“We did.” Mark agrees, “I’ll try to do better myself.” 

They stay at the position for some more minutes. When just half an hour before Mark was there with heavy heart and chaotic minds, for now he feels lighter and content. 

“Anyway, I’m here because I want to ask you to go with me to see Chenle. I miss him already, we didn’t get to meet him last weekend.” 

“He’s still here? The social service hasn’t taken him away yet?” 

Donghyuck shakes his head, “I reasoned to them that he still needs to be monitored for a few days and getting his vaccination by the end of this week. I’m not ready to let him go just yet.” 

“You’re that attached to him, huh?” 

“As if you’re not.” Donghyuck laughs. Donghyuck’s right, even if their first meeting when Chenle yawned after Mark said hello to him is not the ideal first meeting ever (Mark still ponders about it sometimes, is he that boring even babies can’t deal with him?), but that little baby clearly got Mark enchanted. 

“Come on, let’s see him now. I think it’s also his time for milk again. Do you want to try to feed him this time?” 

“That sounds wonderful.” Mark stands up, dusting the dust from his white coat before offering a hand for Donghyuck, which the other accepts gladly. They hold hands as they walk down the stairs to the wards. 

“You know, I know Chenle secretly likes you even if he doesn’t show it.” 

“A cheeky brat even since he was a baby. Totally reminds me of someone I know.” 

“Oh, really? Do I know him?” 

“You probably do.” 

“Is he handsome?” 

“He is. He is gorgeous.” 

“Hmm.. I’m jealous.” 

“You should be. He’s wonderful, in everything.” 

“Do you love him?” 

Mark stops on his tracks and looks at Donghyuck right in his eyes, “I do, already do from the first day.”


	7. a big loss, for a big future

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Mark…” Donghyuck calls softly, voice so low Mark almost misses it in the midst of madness that is his own mind. 
> 
> “Yeah, dear?” 
> 
> The endearment brings a little smile to Donghyuck. He feels lucky that he has Mark right now, because if not, he knows he can’t make it through the night, let alone the day. 
> 
> [the situation in this chapter happens before chapter 6]

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning : minor character death. 
> 
> Totally a chapter that was the hardest to write (for me) so far. I hope I executed this well. And this to answer the nagging question i know you all have inside your mind. Hope you guys enjoy this!

It starts when Donghyuck is done visiting the PICU and seeing the commotion in the ICU wards as he passes to go to the exit door. There are commands being given and nurses running around to grab for drugs and other things, Donghyuck gets a glimpse of the doctor, anesthesiologist Johnny Suh, from afar. When it is the anesthesiologist himself that gets involved, it means that it is really an emergency. 

And it is proven to be true because Donghyuck sees someone bringing in the defibrillator, Donghyuck is already out of the door before he can see further. 

There’s something uncomfortable settling on his chest, weighing him. He brushes it off, telling himself it’s just probably the usual uneasiness after seeing someone trying to fight for their life or someone lost their life right in front of you. He might be already a doctor for a long time and faced hunreds of cases like this, it doesn’t mean he can get used to it. 

He contemplates for a while before making a quick turn to the baby’s ward. Lately, he finds comfort in holding Chenle. It calms him down. And the little one already attached himself to Donghyuck without Donghyuck has to try. Jealousy likes to appear sometimes when he imagines how his time with Chenle is limited, because he will be back to his birth mother as soon as she is healthy enough to be around Chenle. How he wishes that Chenle is his own, but he can’t get selfish. 

He tries to enjoy the time he can have with the little bundle of joy as much as he can. 

He promised Chenle’s mother already.

[The morning Chenle was born]

_‘An accident occured between two cars just now near the Hongdae station. The driver of the first car sustained injuries on his arms and legs, while the other driver was pregnant and seemed to sustain head injuries. Both are now brought to the nearest hospital to get treatment immediately.’_

Donghyuck swings on his chair inside the doctor’s longue, “That’s pretty close from here.” 

Jeno who is making coffee on the machine behind him hums, “I hope there won’t be anything endangering her pregnancy, though. That will be awful.” He sits down on the chair across Donghyuck, running his fingers through his hair. “Where’s Mark?”

Just as Donghyuck wants to answer, his phone rings. He looks at his phone screen to see that it’s from Jaemin, one of the obstetrician in the hospital. Donghyuck gestures for Jeno that he’s going to answer the call, Jeno gives him the go sign before laying his head on the table, closing his eyes to catch some sleep. “Hello? Jaemin? What happened?” 

“Donghyuck, you’re the on-call paeditrician for today, right?” 

“Yes, I am.” 

“There was an accident involving a pregnant woman near the hospital just now. And from her condition, we need to induct the baby’s birth so we won’t lose both. He’s full term but still we just need to be careful. Can you be present at the surgery room too to observe the baby once we deliver him?” 

“I can. Where will you do the induction?” 

“On the emergency ward’s surgery room. We’re taking the mother up right now.” 

“Okay, I’ll meet you there.” 

It’s been a while since Donghyuck enters the emergency surgery room, the place looks a bit unfamiliar to him. A nurse is guiding him to the operation theater where Jaemin is right now, and once he gets there they’re almost done with the baby’s delivery. Turns out Jaemin decided to do sectio caesaria to the mother because her condition is to weak to be able to push even with the induction medicine. 

Donghyuck waits with bathed breath as Jaemins skillfully getting the baby out from the womb, from his head to his shoulder, his trunk and followed by his legs. He holds the baby with two hands while his assistant tried to cut the cord. The silence that greets them is defeaning, Jaemin’s panicked eyes meet Donghyuck’s as he tries to pat the baby’s back for a few times but the baby is still not crying. 

As if in instinct, Donghyuck walks closer to Jaemin to get the baby from his hold. His team is ready right on his side as he puts the baby down on the warmed bed. 

“Suction, please.” 

And they work in silence, only focusing on the baby and the command coming from Donghyuck. Jaemin is back to focusing on the mother because he has to stop a bleeding artery. Two packs of blood already hanging on the pole to make for the loss. Seconds pass as Donghyuck tries to clear the baby’s airways and it feels like forever until..

“Hueeeee.” The sound of baby cry filled the room and Donghyuck just knows everyone who was holding their breath are can sigh in relief. Donghyuck himself is overflowed with feeling and continues to do full check-up on the baby from head to toe. First, making sure about the baby’s pulse and the overall APGAR score before moving to check if the development of his external organs are completed or not. 

A tap on his shoulder brings him out of his focus and he turns around to one of the nurse on his team pointing at something, and that turns out to be the baby’s mother. She is under spinal anesthesia so she practically awake and she waves a hand at Donghyuck gesturing him to get closer. He commands his team to monitor the baby for a while before walking to the mother, he crouches down on one knee to meet the mother’s eyes.  
The mother smiles weakly at him and extends her hand to cup Donghyuck’s cheek, the situation baffles Donghyuck for a bit but he lets it. “Is it-- Is it okay if I make you promise me something?” 

Donghyuck hesitantly nods. The mother takes a deep breath, “Zhong Chenle, that’s the name I want to give my son. Chen means star, le means music, in Chinese. Zhong is my family name.” 

“I know my time is not much anymore, probably not enough to be able to hold Chenle more over, see him growing up. I don’t have anyone anymore in this world.” A tear slides down the mother’s cheek, “Can you take care of him, for me?” 

“I--” 

“Just when I’m not there. Once I’m healthy enough to be able to take care of him, which I’m not really sure about when, I will be taking over. But just when I’m not there, can you?” 

Donghyuck freezes at his place, the situation baffles him. He never encounters something like this and he is not clearly sure about how the medical ethics work for this kind of situation. The mother closes her eyes once, before opening it again with pleading eyes. 

“Please….” 

That is the last word coming out of her mouth before the monitors start beeping, and Donghyuck looks up to see that the mother’s blood pressure has come down to a critical level, and that they has lost her pulse. Donghyuck immediately steps back as he lets the anesthesiologists do their job to resuciate the mother. 

When he comes back to Chenle, the little baby is already being cleaned and bathed, and now being wrapped with a soft and warm cloth. Donghyuck only stands there for God knows how long, starring at Chenle. His conversation with the baby’s mother playing like a broken record inside his head. 

“Doc, can we get the baby to the baby’s room right now?” 

“Ah, yes yes.” Donghyuck nods, getting out of the surgery gown. “I think he still needs to be observed for a few days, so put my name as his paeditrician.” 

“Noted, doctor Lee.”

[back to present day; still before chapter 6]

It is late at night when the call comes. At first Donghyuck wants to ignore the buzzing of his phone. But after ignoring the first one, it comes again so Donghyuck thinks it might be important. He removes Mark’s arm that is on his waist to turn on the bedside table, before grabbing his phone.  
The light emanating from his phone blinds him for a second, before his vision clears and the one who calls him is..

“The hospital?” Donghyuck mumbles confusedly. As far as he remembers it’s not his turn for on-call paediatrics. So what’s the purpose of the hospital calling him at this time of the day? Sliding the answer button to the right, he puts the phone on his ears. 

“Hello?” 

It’s Johnny’s voice that greets him back, and the uneasy feeling comes back again. “Yeah, hyung. What happened?” 

Something that Johnny said on the other side of the phone brings Donghyuck to full alertness. He immediately sits down, unknowingly waking Mark up. Donghyuck listens intently to Johnny once again, while Mark stirs up beside him. 

“Okay, I’ll get to the hospital now.” 

“Donghyuck, babe? What happened?” Now Mark is fully awake himself and sitting on the bed. He turns Donghyuck’s body so the other is facing him, heart breaking at the sight of his crying lover. He pulls in Donghyuck in to a hug as soon as the other tells him the reason of his tears. 

“Chenle’s mom….. Chenle’s mom just died.”

\---

Mark and Donghyuck volunteer to do the burial for Ms. Zhong with the help of their close friends because she has no one listed as her family and somehow has ‘her son’s paeditrician’ as someone to call in case something happened to her. Donghyuck doesn’t know when did she put that but Donghyuck actually doesn’t mind.

In the middle of rainy Friday afternoon, with Chenle safely tucked in his hold, Donghyuck sees the chest where Ms. Zhong will sleep for eternity being lowered down to the ground. Chenle, as if he knows, starts to get fussy and in the end, starts crying. Donghyuck can feel his eyes getting hot once again, and he can’t hold his own sobs anymore when Chenle starts to wail. 

Mark pulls him closer by his shoulder and lets Donghyuck rests his head on Mark’s shoulder, burying his face on the black blazer Mark wears. Mark lands light pecks on top Donghyuck’s hair, feeling himself on the verge of tears but he holds it back. He needs to be strong for Donghyuck. He needs to be strong for Chenle. 

He needs to be strong for the three of them.

\---

Chenle sleeps all the way back to the hospital, seemingly tired of crying and Donghyuck can finally lets himself relax. It really breaks his heart to hear the little one crying, more over, wailing like he did before. It is as if he knows, but then again, never doubt the bond of a birth mother and her child. It’s something beyond science.

Once Donghyuck puts Chenle back on his crib on the baby’s ward, the baby starts crying again so Donghyuck has to pick him up. Little sobs are still coming out and Donghyuck really doesn’t have the heart to leave Chenle at times like this. 

“Can we… can we stay at the hospital for tonight, Mark?” 

Mark doesn’t know how the rules work around here, but certainly for two grown-ups staying the night at the baby’s ward is clearly breaking the rules. But looking at Donghyuck’s face, Mark decides to just nod. He will think about how to pull some strings around so they can stay at the ward at least until tomorrow’s morning.

Donghyuck spends the entire time sitting next to Chenle’s crib, the one finally falls asleep again and doesn’t cry when Donghyuck puts him down. But Donghyuck stays close just in case he wakes up and searches for someone familiar. Mark has taken a place at the three seater sofa inside the same room, both his and Donghyuck’s black blazer thrown on the arm of the sofa. Both are clearly tired, and their apartment’s bed is definitely what they need right now, but Mark doesn’t want to leave Donghyuck alone. 

“Mark…” Donghyuck calls softly, voice so low Mark almost misses it in the midst of madness that is his own mind. 

“Yeah, dear?” 

The endearment brings a little smile to Donghyuck. He feels lucky that he has Mark right now, because if not, he knows he can’t make it through the night, let alone the day. 

“What do you think… about adopting Chenle?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A bit explanation for the acronym in this chapter :  
> *PICU : Paediatric Intensive Care Unit  
> *ICU : Intensive Care Unit  
> *APGAR : Appearance, Pulse, Grimace, Activity and Respiration; the 5 first thing that should be examined right after a baby is delivered. The total score of APGAR will determine the baby's prognosis for next.


	8. the long journey ahead pt.1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “The process of adopting can be long. To months or years. And the process can be really hard. So I hope you two will understand this and don’t get yourself too stressed up for this. Just pray for the best.” 
> 
> It's the first step for the long journey ahead.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Back after a while!! Finally pushed myself through my writer's block to write this chapter. It is actually planned to be longer than this, I initially planned to write the whole adoption process in a chapter but it turned out to be longer than I thought, so I decided to divide it into parts. Part 2 is in process! Hopefully soon. 
> 
> Make this girl happy and drop by my twitter @sevendreamiess (yes, with two 's'!) or drop by my curious cat : dreamies7 (we can talk about fics, plot ideas, markhyuck, or anything) !!!

Donghyuck sighs again for the umpteenth time that day, his stomach twists in nervousness. He leans his forehead on the glass window of their apartment, inhaling deeply. It’s the day, it’s finally the day and he can’t mess it up. He works so hard for this day and he can’t mess it up. 

A pair of arms come to wrap themselves around his middle, his back meeting the familiar broad chest and he finally lets himself relax a bit. “Are you nervous?” Mark asks lowly, burying his nose on the crook of Donghyuck’s neck. 

“So nervous I think I’m going to die.” 

Mark chuckles, “Don’t say that.” And it’s funny how Donghyuck can hear he pouts. “If you’re dead then you’re going to miss one of the biggest day in our life.” 

“No, I’m not going to miss this out.” 

“You won’t.” 

They stay in that position by the window until sofr knocks are heard from the direction of the front door. Donghyuck breaks away from Mark’s hold and stands up straightly. His heart is beating even more faster than before, Mark grans his hand and laces their finger together. 

“Let’s greet them, shall we?”

—————

[Back to few months earlier]

“And that’s probably the first documents that I need to start with the adoption.” Doyoung closes the manila files in front of him, then turns to face Donghyuck and Mark again while sipping his coffee. “Is there any questions?”

“I just want to confirm it, so we need to pass you the documents by the end of December?” 

“Actually, the faster the better. It’s just I’m giving you till the end December because you might need more time. But just to remind you that most offices will be closed around that time of the year for christmas, so it can be delayed till the beginning of next year when the offices are open again.” 

Donghyuck frowns, _January? That’s too long._

“Okay then, we’ll try to get the documents to you as soon as we can. We want to get this over quickly.” 

Doyoung smiles, “You guys have my email, right? I’ll be in Japan for the last week of December, but I’ll have one of my guys taking care of this while I’m gone.” 

Mark reaches out to take Doyoung’s hand in his, “Thank you so much for your help, hyung. We really don’t know who to ask for help.” 

Doyoung actually one of Donghyuck’s friend that he met during university. Donghyuck was in the music club and that was where he met Doyoung, the law student in the same university. They bonded over their mutual love for singing and their smart mouth that can reply anyone with snarky remarks within seconds. They lost contact from each other after university but then met again at the hospital when Doyoung was admitted to the emergency room and Donghyuck was the doctor in charge that day. 

“It’s nothing, really.” Doyoung waves them off, “I know you guys since forever, I don’t mind helping you two. It’s about time for you guys to start a family too, and I will do my best to help you.” 

“Thank you, hyung. It means a lot to us.” 

“But there’s one thing,” Doyoung suddenly sits up straight, his face serious. “The process of adopting can be long. To months or yours. And the process can be really hard. So I hope you two will understand this and don’t get yourself too stressed up for this. Just pray for the best.” 

Mark can feel Donghyuck stiffens and guess that his husband’s mind is now probably filled with all his worries and negative thoughts, so he reaches for the other hand and squeezes it tightly. “It’s okay Donghyuck. We’re in this together.” 

“Can we go see Chenle at the orphanage during the process? Is it allowed?” 

To Donghyuck’s enjoyment, Doyoung nods. He really can’t think of not meeting Chenle for a long time. Not holding him, not singing night lullabies for him, not feeding him. He still get to meet his little baby (yeah, note that, Chenle is HIS baby) even though they’ll be separated for miles and they can’t meet everyday. 

“You still can meet him, of course. Actually I’m hoping your case to be finished fast too, because you already know which kid you’ll adopt. Usually the long process is seeing which kid has the best match and chemistry with you. And it’s not easy, really.” Doyoung leans back to his seat, “Your already deep-attachment with Chenle will really help this case.” 

Finally, a light of hope by the end of the tunnel. 

“Yeah, we hope so too.”

—————

“Thank you everyone for your help.” Mark taps the surgery asisstants hand one by one (a habit he has since the residency days) to express his thanks before turning to Jeno, “I can leave you to close this patient up, right?” in which Jeno nods, “It’s okay. I want to meditate for a while, this kind of work that needs focus really helps.” Mark will never understand that habit of Jeno, he goes into this kind of ‘zen’ mode everytime he is stitching a body close after an open surgery (which is scary at first), but then again we never know how a surgeon brain works.

Mark changes into his clothes and checks his watch, it’s close to 3 p.m and he hasn’t eaten lunch yet. He wonders if Donghyuck already has his lunch, so he decides to go see the other on the paed floor. But when he steps into the doctor’s longue to grab for his bag, there Donghyuck is, sprawled out on the couch. He turns his head to the direction of the door when he hears someone coming, a lazy smile appears at the sight of his husband. 

“Hey.” 

Mark is stunned for a while, before replying back Donghyuck’s smile. “Hey to you too. I just wanted to check on you on the paed floor. Everything done for the day?” 

Donghyuck brings himself to a sitting position and taps on the empty space next to him, gesturing for Mark to sit next to him. He latches himself to Mark as soon as Mark makes his space next to Donghyuck, resting his head on the Mark’s shoulder. Mark leans back on the sofa, bringing Donghyuck’s with him. One of his arm makes his way to the back of Donghyuck’s waist and pulls the other closer. “It’s rare to see you up here. Are you done yet?” 

Donghyuck nods, his eyes are closed, trying to rest for a while. “I’m done and I’m missing you. That’s why I’m here.” 

“Wow, I’m flattered.” Mark muses, and Donghyuck slaps his husband’s chest. “Have you had your lunch? I haven’t and I’m very hungry right now. I was actually about to go to your floor to ask you out for lunch.” 

The chocolate hair blob on Mark’s chest looks up, Mark resists the urge to lean forward and kiss his pretty little husband when he’s acting all cute like that. “I… actually already did. With Renjun. And I’m actually coming here for another purpose.” 

Mark fakes a hurt expression, “So you lied to me? It is not all about you missing me?” 

Without looking, Mark knows Donghyuck is rolling his eyes by the way he sighs right now. He holds in his laugh to not break the mood right now. “I miss Chenle.” is all Donghyuck says, the hold around Mark’s waist tightens. Ah, a realization comes to Mark. 

“I miss him too.” Mark goes silent for a while, “Do you want to meet him now? We can drive to the orphanage right now, it’ll take maybe an hour or two.” 

“Really? You’re not tired?” Donghyuck pulls back and stares at Mark, his voice is worried but Mark knows his eyes can’t betray how excited he is with Mark’s suggestion (and Mark knows Donghyuck is actually expecting that). So, no matter how tired Mark is right now and going back home sounds really really tempting, he doesn’t mind driving for an hour or two if that means making Donghyuck happy. And he’s missing Chenle too, he is not going to lie about that. 

“I am, but it’s okay.” Mark says, before standing up and grab for his bag on one of the tables. He reaches inside for his car keys before looking back to Donghyuck, “Ready to go?” 

“I will drive on the way home!! So you can rest. We’ll swap.” Donghyuck proposes excitedly, standing up to follow Mark out of the door. Mark laughs, “It’s allright, I’m really okay, Donghyuck. But, can we stop by the rest stop for a while to grab some food because I’m really really hungry?” 

“Aye aye, Captain!” 

The orphanage is placed on the outskirts of Seoul. It’s a bit far to reach from where Mark and Donghyuck’s living area, but it’s a nice neighboorhood so Donghyuck is glad Chenle is placed there for a while. The traffic is a bit packed because it’s also the rush hour of people coming back home after a tiring day at work, but they get there before the sun sets. It’s a two story house with a decent garden on the front. There is a slide and a swing along with a sandbox, which is now littered with toys. There are many shoes & sandals with different sizes lined up on one side of the front door. It really shows as a house that’s lived by lots of childrens. 

A nice young lady clad in aprons is the one greeting them at the door. Donghyuck chats for a while before she goes inside, a little kid trailing after her. Not long after, another nice looking middle-aged lady comes out, her face lights up when he notices Donghyuck. 

“Donghyuck! Mark!” 

“Irene!” Donghyuck steps forward to gather the lady in his arms. Mark also does the same when Donghyuck is done. The lady is Irene, the head of the orphanage. She is the one who took care of Chenle’s papers and documents during the process of placing him in the orphanage. She is also the one who noticed first about the attachment between Donghyuck and Chenle, then proceed to ask Donghyuck about it. She held Donghyuck when he got too emotional when he finally had to say goodbye, even for a while. She promised Donghyuck to take care of Chenle until the time has come for the bundle of joy to come back to Donghyuck’s arms. 

Irene leads them inside the house, and Mark can’t help but amazed with how well managed the orphanage is. Instead of looking grim and abandoned because lack of care, the orphanage is organized and… actually feels like home. They are entering the kitchen area, where on one side there is a large and long table. Childrens from small and teenagers are gathered around, chatting excitedly with one another while waiting for dinner. 

“We know we probably come at dinner time and disturb all of you guys, so we bring some foods for the kids.” Donghyuck turns to Irene, lifting up the plastic bags on his hold. Mark also holds some bags. They were actually afraid that they were buying too much, but looking at the childrens, they know too much is probably good. “Oh, Donghyuck, Mark, you shouldn’t bother, really.” 

“It’s really okay!” Donghyuck exclaims, before putting all the plastic bags filled with boxes of foods on the kitchen islands. “And now, can I meet Chenle? It is time for his milk too, isn’t it?” 

Irene laughs, and Mark squeezes Donghyuck’s shoulder because his little husband just can’t contain his excitement already. “I thought you’d never ask! Let me bring you to his room upstairs.” 

Chenle is sleeping by the time they arrive on his room. It’s a room special for the babies that are living in the orphanage, but there is no other baby other than Chenle right now. The room is decorated with soft colors of blue and pink, lots of stickers and wall decors are pasted. Flowers, bears, cars, planes, even dinasours (the cute looking ones). But despite all that, Donghyuck’s eyes are set on the baby’s crib in the middle of the room. The one where Chenle is sleeping right now. 

As if knowing, Chenle starts to stir up and his little cries sprung Donghyuck to be on the side of his bed as soon as possible. At this rate, Mark doesn’t really question again about how big the bond is between Chenle and Donghyuck. He just hopes he’ll also get to that level later in the future, once Chenle is finally an official part of their little family. Irene taps Mark’s shoulder and Mark looks to the side to see Irene excusing herself to downstairs, doesn’t want to interrupt the small reunion. Mark sends her a nod and grateful smile. 

Chenle is awake when Mark finally steps closer to Donghyuck, he’s looking up at Donghyuck with his wide eyes, as if he doesn’t believe it that Donghyuck is right beside him again. His eyes shifts to Mark, and a little smile blooms on the little joy’s face. Mark feels warmth all over his body, and he might have let out a tear. 

“Chenle-ah, do you miss us?” Donghyuck whispers, and from his voice Mark finally realizes that the other is also crying. He gathers both of them in his arms, tightens his hold as Donghyuck lays his head on Mark’s chest, eyes still trained at Chenle. 

They are now opting to sit on the nearest sofa, feeding Chenle his night food which is the formula. The baby seems happy and content, always laughing with his eyes turning into cresent-shaped everytime Donghyuck or Mark does ‘kakkung!!!’ with him. Their laugh is the only sound filling the room, and Mark doesn’t remember the last time he’s seen both him and Donghyuck laugh that freely, in the middle of the adoption process and all. It’s a nice break for all. 

“Mark,” Donghyuck calls, bringing Mark out of his trance of starring at Donghyuck chatting animatedly with Chenle. “Yeah?”

“Chenle wants you to hold him.” Donghyuck says, a hint of smile on his voice. Mark looks down from Donghyuck to Chenle who is on his lap, and Mark almost can’t believe his eyes when he sees Chenle’s short arms reaching up to him, like asking to be picked up. “Does he.. really?” 

“He does,” Donghyuck beckons him to get closer, “You remember the way I told you, right?” 

Mark nods absentmindedly, trying to keep his cool but in fact the gears in his brains are working hard right now to recall everything about baby’s care that Donghyuck taught him. Make sure the baby’s head is resting on your chest. Then slide your hands up from their bottom to support their neck. Move the baby’s head to your arm gently. Remember remember remember, do not lose support on the baby’s head!!! 

“Mark? You okay?” 

Mark lets out the breath he doesn’t know he’s holding, closing his eyes for a while before opening it again to look at Donghyuck with determined eyes. “I’m ready, I think I’m ready.” 

“Mark, you’re just going to hold Chenle. Not doing a difficult surgery. You can do a thoracotomy with your two bare hands, holding Chenle is way easier than that.” Donghyuck chuckles seeing the dramatic reaction of his partner. It’s quite endearing to see, Mark working so hard to learn how to be a good parent for Chenle. 

Donghyuck slowly places Chenle on Mark’s already cradled arms. He watches silently as Mark manuvers his hand around Chenle’s body to put him on the right position. He’s glad Chenle is not fussy and he’s relatively calm, so it puts Mark at ease. After he thinks he has hold Chenle in the right position, Mark looks up to Donghyuck, searching for approval. Donghyuck gives him two thumbs up and Mark lets out a relieved sigh. 

It’s now Donghyuck’s turn to observe Mark with Chenle. He realizes now that he hasn’t given Mark enough time to interact Chenle, it’s usually Mark on his side, but never really has any physical contact with the little baby. He makes a mental note to push the other more, and remind himself that Mark also needs time to bond with Chenle. Mark is going to be Chenle’s parent too. 

Mark’s posture now is quite awkward, back straight and stiff with a baby on his hold but Donghyuck knows it’s just because it’s his first time. Mark will be better as the time goes on. Chenle is now playing with his finger, grabbing it and wanting to put it inside his mouth. Mark is quick to pull his finger away before Chenle can do that, but the sudden movement seems to surprise Chenle because he starts to cry. Donghyuck is already wanting to grab Chenle back but Mark stops him, “I’ll do this. I want to try.” 

The other stands up with Chenle in his hold, but now he puts the little’s baby head on his shoulder. His arms are around Chenle’s body as he sways side by side, letting out white noises because he reads somewhere on the internet that it can help calming a baby. And it works, Chenle’s cries quickly turns into small sobs and he curls himself more to Mark (if it’s possible). Mark turns around to look at Donghyuck, only to see the other already starring at him. 

“You’re wonderful.” Donghyuck says, voice dreamy. “You’re going to be a wonderful parent.” 

They are quiet after that, Donghyuck just wants to enjoy the time right now, and Mark is trying his best to lull Chenle back to sleep by patting his back. It’s a serene moment, the kind of moment that you just wish time will stop so you’ll be able to enjoy it longer. The peaceful moment doesn’t last long until.. Mark feels wetness on the back of his shoulder. 

“Donghyuck-ah, is it what I think it is?” 

From the look on Donghyuck’s face, Mark already knows the answer before the other can say it. 

Chenle burps. He remembers that Chenle is just done with his milk before he hold him. 

Donghyuck shrugs, “Welcome to child care, I guess?” 

There’s nothing they can do but laugh at that moment. It’s another page added on the journey of their little family. 

But it’s only the beginning. 

They can’t wait to see what the future has in store for the three of them.

—————

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't forget to let me know what you think!! You drop by my twitter @sevendreamiess (yes, with two 's'!) or drop by my curious cat : dreamies7 (we can talk about fics, plot ideas, markhyuck, or anything) !!!


	9. the long journey ahead pt. 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> " Isn't she lovely  
> Isn't she wonderful  
> Isn't she precious  
> Less than one minute old  
> I never thought through love we'd be  
> Making one as lovely as she  
> But isn't she lovely made from love " ♡

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you so much for waiting guys! hope you enjoy this new chapter, the journey is not ending yet :)

Donghyuck rarely dislikes anything. 

He still likes the rain even though it’s threatening to spoil his shoes on his way from the parking lot to the hospital lobby. He’s still okay with the lousy internet connection inside one of the doctor’s room so it gives him a little bit of time to detoxify himself from the virtual world. He’s still okay with finding the fridge empty after a long day at work, so it gives him a reason to call in for delivery (he doesn’t let himself do that often, but in the end he and Mark do that lots of time anyways. It just feels better when he actually has something to blame for as a reason. Less guilty.) 

He is even still okay with Mark coming home at odd hours of the night with a bleeding temple (because he apparently knocked himself on the door thrice, too drunk to realize that his house has a freaking front door) smelling like alcohol after a night out with his friends. Because Donghyuck knows that sometimes Mark needs to let himself loose, to take his mind off of his patients and the scheduled surgery ahead. As free as he can be, even with limitations. 

Want to know one of the things he dislikes in the world?

A once well-planned Saturday, get cancelled.

“Do you really have to gooooooo” Donghyuck rolls around on their big bed, tangling his legs with the soft warm blankets. The weekend can’t be anymore perfect, really, if only Mark is right beside him and not putting on his pants one metre away from him. 

“You know I do, Donghyuck.” Mark answers before sighing. He turns his body around so he can face his little husband who is now looking at him with the puppiest eyes he can muster, lips pouting. In the end, he can’t help but chuckle to himself. He lets his shirt hanging on his body unbuttonned, and steps up on the bed. 

As soon as Mark is in his periphery, Donghyuck latches himself to Mark, circling his arms around his waist & burying his face on Mark’s well-toned abdomen. Mark leans back on the headboard, hands coming up to play with the tufts of brown hair. 

“Okay, five more minutes of cuddling.” Mark finally says. 

Donghyuck shakes his head, his hair feels ticklish on Mark’s bare skin. “Five more hours.” 

“Donghyuck,” Mark lets out that tone, the tone he uses everytime be is borderline desperate and actually excited at whatever dumb ideas Donghyuck proposed during their dating days. “You know I will drop everything to trade it with a whole weekend with you cuddling in bed, but work is work.” 

“Why do you have to be the surgery advisor for this weekend, though? Just when we are about to go out to buy Chenle’s clothes? To pick on a color for Chenle’s room?” 

“To correct you, we are not exactly planning to buy or to pick for now. It’s too fast for now we don’t want to jinx it, remember? We’re just trying to.... what’s that word you used yesterday?” 

“Window shopping?” 

“To do window shopping and note around which things we should buy in the future and estimate the budget. Same with the paint.” Mark takes a deep breath, “And it’s not like I can choose whether I’ll have the weekend-shift or not anyway.” 

Donghyuck stays silent. Deep down inside, you can be sure that he actually understands what Mark has to go through. He is a doctor too anyway, he’s not foreign with weekend shifts himself. But... he was just so excited for past week because both of them had planned to do window shopping for baby stuffs. It just happened that the new monthly schedule came out just yesterday and surprise surprise, Mark is the surgery advisor for the first day of the month (which is today). 

Is it the world conspiring against him or something? 

The silence in the room is interrupted by Mark’s phone ringtone (the theme song of Super Mario), and without looking, both of them already know that it is from the hospital. Mark sends Donghyuck a sorry look, and with that, Donghyuck unlatches his hold in Mark and retreating back to his place on the bed before. 

“I’m going now, honey. See you later.” Mark reaches down to plant a kiss on Donghyuck’s forehead, which Donghyuck replies with a smile and a bop on the other’s nose. 

“Have a great time saving lives, Doctor Lee.”

\---

The mall on weekend is, as everyone expect, crowded. People of all ages are gathered around at one place; either for watching movies, a sunday brunch or lunch with family and friends, window shopping or even just hanging out on coffee shops and people-watching.

Donghyuck used to do the last a lot in the past, during his years in university. Being in medical school sometimes means that he has to catch up studying on weekends (because on weekdays he’ll be too tired after coming home from hospital) and we all know studying at home all the time is booooooring, so he sometimes goes out to study at the nearest coffee shops. The chatters around him become a buzzing static noise in the background, and it somehow helps him a lot. 

As for today, despite his cancelled plan with Mark, Donghyuck still goes on with the plan, even if he goes alone. There’s no way he’ll postpone this because he’s been waiting for this all week. He’ll just spam lots of pictures to Mark later. 

Okay, let’s start with.. baby’s crib!! 

“Does it come with the changing table as well? Are they a set?” It’s the fifth baby’s crib that caught Donghyuck’s eyes, a clean looking wooden baby’s crib. It is painted in a pastel green color, and Donghyuck thinks it’s a really nice color for a baby. Not too bright, because it may hurt their eyes. The only problem is the price is slightly higher than what he expected. 

Are baby’s stuffs usually this pricey? It really takes lots of things to raise a child. Financial stability is one, and Donghyuck thank God he found Chenle when he and Mark are already doctors; not when they were still students and trying so hard to survive every month with instant noodles and snacks from the hospital vending machine. 

After all, he really just wants the best for Chenle. He will work hard for it. Every parent must have the same thoughts, right? 

“I’m sorry, sir but no, the changing table doesn’t come as sets with the crib.” The store employee answers. Donghyuck nods, taking notes inside his head then he excuses himself, “All right then, is it okay if i take a picture of it?” 

“Yes, it’s okay.” 

He snaps some pictures of the crib, then sending them all to Mark. He just wishes Mark will see the notifications soon, because if not, he’ll have more than 100+ pictures to see all at once after Donghyuck is done. 

“Thank you so much, have a good day.” Donghyuck excuses himself before going away. He thinks there are enough baby cribs he sees for the day, and decides that he looks around for something else on the list. He is about to go to another section of the store when something catches his eyes. Three manequines are set up in the middle with racks around them, where baby onesies in every color are placed neatly on top one next to each other. 

His feet automatically walks there and his smile blooms when he touches one of the onesie and feels the softness on the tips of his fingers. He imagines Chenle in one of them, with socks-clad feet moving around the house once he starts crawling. Dear God, it makes Donghyuck emotional already to imagine Chenle growing up. 

Chenle starting to walk.

Chenle starting pre-school. 

Chenle’s first ever crush (Donghyuck sometimes wonder who will be the jealous parent out of him and Mark. He himself confident that he will see it cutely, but then again… let’s see when that happens). 

Chenle’s graduating high school and going away for university (damn, is he tearing up already?) 

Chenle’s wedding-- okay, he gets too ahead of himself here. He doesn’t need to worry about it for… another 50 years. Chenle doesn’t need to get married until he’s 50!!! That’s the rule in the house!!.

“An expecting father?” A voice interrupts him from the side and he sees a young pregnant woman, looking at him with a fond smile on her face. She also looks through the stacks of onesies, cooing at how cute they are. After a while, Donghyuck realizes that it’s rude to not answer so he quickly nods, “Yes, kind of. The adoption process is still going.” 

“Ah... “ The woman nods a few times, “I wish you all the best for that. I never went through one, but I know from stories how tiring it is.” Donghyuck whispers a small ‘thank you’. “How far along are you?” 

“I’m on the end of my third trimester right now, and probably just about to pop anytime soon.” She laughs, before stopping to hold onto her stomach and her face contorting in pain. Donghyuck moves quickly to her side, worried “Are you okay?” 

“I’m fine,” the woman straightens her posture, sighing heavily. “It’s just the contractions are getting more frequent day by day. I guess that’s really telling that she is about to pop out soon.” 

“She really can’t wait to see the world, can she?” 

The young mother laughs, “And me and my husband really can’t wait for her to come out soon. We’ve been waiting for her for a long time.” The fondness in her voice spreads warmth into Donghyuck’s chest, it is something that only comes out during sincere times. Something that can’t really be faked. He somehow suddenly misses his parents, he makes notes to call them soon. 

“Anyway, isn’t this cute?” The young mother shows one of the onesie to Donghyuck, it is a white onesie with the words _‘I’m Daddy’s fastest swimmer’_ and to top it off, a drawing of a small toad at the bottom. Donghyuck grins, imagining Mark holding baby Chenle while wearing that. Somehow, it is so Mark too, a scientific joke for a baby onesie. 

The two expectant parents talk some more minutes before the young woman’s husband comes. It is probably too late when they finally introduce themselves, the young couple are Youngho and Chungha. Donghyuck bids goodbye to the sweet couple after giving Chungha hug, wishing her a safe and smooth delivery. 

After the couple goes their own way, Donghyuck decides to call it a day. He plans to get some lunch on the nearest restaurant, but of course, not before he purchases that one onesie. He is one hundred percent sure Mark will love it. 

He is just done with paying the onesie and about to go out of the store when he hears someone yelling, “Excuse me! Is there a doctor here?” He looks around to see that it is Youngho, and people starting to crowd on him and Chungha, who is now sitting on the floor while holding her stomach. Without thinking twice, Donghyuck runs to the crowd. 

“Excuse me, excuse me I’m a doctor. Please, make way, please.” Donghyuck tries to get through the people, which annoy him a bit because if you are just there to see without being able to help, the least you can do is giving space to people who possibly can. With much difficulty, finally he can get through and quickly crouching down next to Chungha. 

“Donghyuck?” Chungha weakly calls when he recognizes Donghyuck, “You’re a doctor?” 

“I am,” Donghyuck quickly answers, “What are you feeling right now, Chungha? Are you hurt somewhere?” 

“It’s just--” She is about to answer but it seems like another waves of contraction strikes again so she pauses to regulate her breathing. Lucas is next to her, holding onto her hands and whispering words to calm her down. She goes still for a moment and Donghyuck can see the color of her skirt darkening slowly when she looks up to her husband, “Youngho, baby, I think my water just broke.” 

Donghyuck quickly tells Youngho to call for the nearest hospital, while he tries to help Chungha with the right way of breathing during delivery. She is moved to a more secluded area while waiting for the paramedics to arrive, and during that moment Donghyuck does some check (as much as he remembers, he is a paeditrician for God sake, not an obsetrician). He figures, for a while there is nothing to be worried about. He just wishes the paramedics will come soon so he doesn’t get to help the baby delivery alone. 

The paramedics arrive not long after that, and from the uniform Donghyuck recognizes that it’s from the hospital he’s working at. One of them even recongnizes him. Together, they help Chungha to get on the stretcher and quickly bring her to the ambulance. Once she is safe inside and Youngho is also getting in, one of the paramedics turns to Donghyuck, “Are you in, doc?” 

Donghyuck thinks for a while, he really can’t leave Chungha and just in case, her newborn baby will need a paeditrician assistance. “I’m in.” 

It’s a blur of things once they arrive at the hospital. The on-call obstetrician quickly did a check on Chungha and concludes that she’s ready to push, Youngho is asked to be right on her side to encourage her. Donghyuck has seen lots of childbirth, especially during his clerkship days, and each one always gives him goosebumps. It is a long and tiring process, it’s not rare that a mother gets tired because one of two things that complicates the baby delivery, love and desperation mixed in one. 

“One more time, Chungha-ssi!!!!!” The obstetrician yells and like a movie, things around Donghyuck feels like going in slow-motion. A loud cry fills the delivery room and everyone sighs in relief. Donghyuck, who assigned himself as the paeditrician eventhough he is not the one on on-call shift that day, gives a quick thorough check on the baby. Once he is done and he finds nothing is wrong with the baby, he brings the newborn wrapped in blanket to Chungha. “A beautiful little girl from a beautiful mother.” Donghyuck says as he lays the baby on Chungha’s chest, skin-to-skin, or known as kangaroo care. This is also to help the baby to start breastfeeding with her mother. 

Youngho lands a kiss on top Chungha’s forehead, long and deep. “Thank you so much.” It brings a smile on her face, looking at Youngho with so much love in her eyes. It feels so intimate and it feels like he is intruding, so Donghyuck excuses himself. Another reason is, seeing the couple in front of him making him missing Mark. He must be on the hospital somewhere. 

The couple turns their attention to Donghyuck once he excused himself and Chungha reaches out to hold his hands, “Thank you so much for your help, Donghyuck. Even though you don’t have to.” 

“It’s really okay, Chungha, Youngho. I’m really happy to be able to help too. Congratulations on your baby’s birth. Hopefully she’ll grow to be an amazing woman just like her mother.” 

“Thank you, again.” Chungha says, her eyes are trained on her daughter’s face who is now sleeping on her chest. And with a little nod, Donghyuck bids goodbye and goes out of the delivery room. A resident greets him once he steps out to the emergency department, and he recognizes him as one of Mark’s students. “Hey, is doctor Lee in a surgery right now?” 

The resident, Jongin, shakes his head. “Doctor Lee had a chest tube procedure about one hour ago, but I guess it’s now done, doctor Lee. But he is not in the doctor’s longue, I was just from there.” 

Donghyuck gives him a confused look, “Then, where is he?” 

“I’m so sorry, doctor Lee. But I don’t know.” Jongin answers. Donghyuck thanks him and grabs for his cellphone on his pocket, dialling Mark’s number. The familiar tune of la vie en rose greets his ears; it’s a song both of them enjoy, but even up until the end, Mark doesn’t pick up. 

“Where is he?” Donghyuck mumbles to himself. He thinks about searching for Mark at the cafetaria, and when he is about to go out to the main hallways, he bumps to Lucas, the on-call paeditrician for the day. “Hey!” Lucas greets him brightly, his bright stetoschope dangling from his neck. “I saw Mark walking to the direction of the baby’s ward, I thought he was going to see you.” 

“No, he wasn’t. I don’t have any patients to visit on the baby’s ward.” Donghyuck says. “Then why are you here?” Lucas asks back.  
“It’s a long story,” Donghyuck sighs, “But thank you, Lucas, I’m actually searching for Mark just now and you just help me by telling me that.” 

“No problem!” Lucas grins before checking his smart-watch when he hears it beeping, “I’ve got to go! See you later, Donghyuck!” 

\---

The baby’s ward is calm when Donghyuck arrives. The nurses on the reception table greet him and about to stand up to accompany him visiting his patients but he quickly stops them, “No need, guys. I don’t have any patients here as much as I remember, but one will come soon.” He tells them, refering to Chungha’s baby who has him as the paeditrician assigned to her. “Is Mark inside?” he asks, glad when the nurses all nod. 

He thanks them and goes inside. Baby’s cribs are lined side by side on left and right, some of them are sleeping soundly, some of them are not but thankfully, not crying. One of the baby’s crib is empty, but he quickly finds him as he arrives at the small room by the end of the hallway. Donghyuck can recognizes Mark anywhere, even just from seeing his back. The other doesn’t notice Donghyuck presence because he has his back turned, and next to him is one of the midwife, changing the diaper of the missing baby and Mark is intently listening to her. 

“...and when you are done wiping their bottom, make sure that you already clean them thoroughly. Put some baby’s powder and…” 

Donghyuck leans his body by the door, smiling to himself. Something warm spreads inside his chest for the second time that day. He never asks Mark to learn about how to take care a baby, he knows how busy Mark can be and he always thinks that Mark can start learning once Chenle is in their home because he knows Mark is good at hands-on practice rather than just by reading and seeing. But to see Mark making efforts without him knowing, in the middle of his own busy schedules, really does something to Donghyuck’s heart. 

Is it possible for someone to fall in love, over and over again? Because Donghyuck thinks he just does that. Again. 

The midwife is done with changing the baby’s diaper and now putting him to Mark’s arms to hold. She gives him the baby’s milk bottle, and that’s when she notices Donghyuck standing on by the door. He pats Mark and points at the door, to which Mark turns around and finds Donghyuck. His face turns a little bit red, as if embarassed because he just caught at doing something behind Donghyuck’s back. The midwife excuses herself to give them privacy. 

“You almost made me surprised.” Mark said breathlessly, “Why are you doing here at the hospital? It’s not your schedule, right?” 

Donghyuck shakes his head, “No, it’s Lucas’. I called you, you didn’t answer.”  
“Ah! I put it on silence, you know, baby’s wards.” 

“And why can’t I be at the hospital?” Donghyuck pouts, “I just want to see my husband who ditched our weekend plan.” 

“Donghyuck, it’s not like--”

“I know, i know.” Donghyuck quickly cuts in, “I’m just kidding.” 

“Were you at the mall just now? I saw the pictures you sent, and also the prices. Are baby’s supplies usually that pricey?” 

Donghyuck shrugs, his attention is now on the baby in Mark’s hold. “We can still search around, I’ll ask mom about other stores. That are what they sell at the mall, of course it’s going to be a bit pricey. And yes, I was at the mall and by coincidence, met someone who was about to get birth and went along to the hospital.” 

Mark chuckles, “Really?” 

“Yeah,” Donghyuck nods, “There’s never really a day without us having to go the hospital, isn’t there?” 

“Made for the hospitals, indeed. Us.” 

“Aaand.. the very place we got to meet each other for the first time.” 

“I’ll always thank this hospital for that. We even put it in our wedding speech.” Mark’s eyes look afar, like going down the memory lanes to their wedding. They stay in silence after that, Mark is focusing to get the baby to sleep, while Donghyuck is just there, on the side, watching him and trying to save every precious second inside his head. 

Once they put the baby back to his crib again, they walk back out of the room together. Just as Mark steps out of the room, his pager beeps. He retrives it out of his pocket and sighs. “An emergency?” 

Mark turns around and nods. Donghyuck steps forward to runs his fingers through Mark’s messy hair, the other rests his forehead on Donghyuck’s, taking a deep breath and closing his eyes. “Breathe in, breathe out. This day will end without you knowing.” Donghyuck talks to him slowly. After a few seconds, Mark opens his eyes to look at Donghyuck, “Are you going back home?” 

“Yep, I still have things to do.” Donghyuck steps back and fixes Mark’s white coat, smoothing it out and buttoning the button up until the first one. His thumbs rests where the writings of _‘Mark Lee, M.D. Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgeon’_ are sewn on the white coat. He feels a surge of pride of his own husband. “See you at home, tonight?” 

Mark nods. He looks like he is about to ditch everything and just come home with Donghyuck but then again, responsibilites are responsibilities. They already said it on their oath, there is no turning back now. So, to not make things hard for them, Donghyuck lands a light peck on Mark’s lips and bids goodbye. 

He stays there until he can’t see Mark’s back again, before walking out to the hospital’s lobby. Should he take a taxi back to the mall to grab his car, or should he just take a taxi straight to home?

\---

It’s close to midnight when Mark arrives at home. He actually finishes his shift around 6 hours before but a hard case came in just in the last minute (why did those kind of cases always arrive at injury time like this?) and turned out he has to do an open thoracotomy and it lasts for god knows how long. When he is done and clocked out, it’s already 5 hours past the end of his shift.

The apartment is dark and in silence when he closes the door behind him, just like how he expects. He guesses Donghyuck already fell asleep, he texted the other not to wait for him just before he went in for the last surgery. Mark feels a bit bad to leave Donghyuck for the whole day on a weekend like this, but there is still Sunday tomorrow, he’ll make sure to spend it with Donghyuck the most that he can. 

Mark makes his way to their room and peeks inside to see the bed is still made with no Donghyuck in sight, which confuses him. Is the other not home? But that thought is dismissed once he sees Donghyuck’s phone on the bedside table, and he remembers seeing Donghyuck’s shoes on the front porch as well. So, where did he go? 

Mark is about to grab for some water in the kitchen when he notices a sliver of light coming from the door next to kitchen, it is the door to the room that they planned to be the baby’s room. It used to be a room to store their unsued things, but ever since the adoption plan starting, they slowly clean it up to prepare it for Chenle. Mark opens the door slowly and smiles fondly when he finds Donghyuck inside the room, sitting on the rocking chair that’s once placed in the living room. 

The room is still bare and the walls are still painted white, the original color from when they bought the apartment. There are only a small table and the rocking chair that Donghyuck figured will be a great addition to the room, to use when Chenle is awake late at night and when they have to feed the little baby. The rocking movement will also help Chenle to sleep better. 

“Donghyuck?” Mark calls softly as he rocks his husband’s body, watching the other opening his eyes slowly while adjusting himself to the lights. “Mark? Are you home?” 

“Yes, the surgery just finished about one hour ago. I’m so sorry.” 

Donghyuck waves a hand at it, “It’s okay, I understand. Did you eat already?” 

“Nope,” Mark shakes his head, his attention is turned to a blue box with white ribbons on Donghyuck’s lap. “What is that?” 

He follows Mark’s line of sight to the box, “Ah! This is what I’ve found earlier today at the mall. It’s just so cute and I thought you would like it. Open this.” 

Mark only stares at Donghyuck in question but he opens the box nonetheless. A laugh escapes his mouth once he sees what’s inside, “Really, Donghyuck?” 

“A onesie with scientific joke for a scientific dad-to-be!” Donghyuck grins, “You can put Chenle in this onesie and read him John Hopkins textbook as his bedtime story.” 

“I will not!” 

Donghyuck snickers, “You totally will, honey.” 

Mark looks back at the onesie once again, and back at Donghyuck. “But, thank you. This is really a nice one.” Donghyuck stands up and hugs Mark from the side, taking the box from his hold. “And with this, it’s the first brand new thing there is in this room!” Donghyuck announces as he places the box on top of the small table by the window, “The start of everything inside this room.” He says again, with his head on Mark’s chest and his arms around his waist. 

“I really can’t wait for him.” Mark whispers into Donghyuck’s hair. 

“Doyoung called me today.” 

“And?” 

“He said the schedule for home visit and interview is out, and they’re planning to come next week, on Friday” 

Mark thightens his hold on Donghyuck, “We’re another one step closer, aren’t we?” 

Donghyuck doesn’t say anything but nods. He is silent for a while before he finally speaks, voice low, “I’m scared.” 

“Me too,” Mark sighs, “But let’s not worry about things right now, okay? We still have a few days to go. We’ll figure something out. For now, how about you accompany me to eat and we’ll head to bed later? Let’s go out, the two of us, tomorrow to make up for today?” 

“Are you bribing me?” 

“It’s not bribing when you want those things yourself.” Donghyuck rolls his eyes, “Okay, mr. Smartypants. Why don’t you go wash yourself while I reheat your food?” 

“On it, captain!”

\---

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hit me up on twitter @sevendreamiess and cc @dreamies7! :)


	10. The long journey comes to an end.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They say good things come to those who wait and work hard.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This might be a little boring, with house interviews and things. Mostly background story, but I need this to happen before we go to the good stuffs. Still I wish I did better haha but again, still i hope you’ll enjoy this :) I’m sorry if this doesn’t meet up to your expectations! I’ll try harder! Love you, xoxo from Naz!

The room is dark when Donghyuck opens his eyes. Not pitch black dark but still not bright enough for Donghyuck’s eyes to not accommodate to the lack of light. The little ray of sunshine streaming in from the slightly opened window curtain is the first thing that tells Donghyuck it’s already morning, but he doesn’t have the energy to bring himself up.

He rolls his body around, groaning at the stiff muscles of his body being forced to move. The spot on the other side of the bed is empty, Mark is already awake and somewhere in the house, or.. outside. Donghyuck remembers Mark saying something about going out for a jog to calm his nerves down but he’s not sure himself, probably dreaming it instead. Donghyuck sighs, his mind is a mess of nervousness and build-up anticipation right now.

Today is the day the social service will come to do home study, and he is so nervous he barely had a sleep last night. Mark handles it better but still being woken up by restless Donghyuck that just couldn’t stay still. In the end, Mark had to hold him close and talked him to sleep. Still not easy, but working in the end. Donghyuck casts his gaze to his bedside table, the clock shows it’s still 6:30 in the morning. They still have a few more hours before the social workers come. Donghyuck and Mark has decided to take the day off since yesterday, to focus on today.

They went out since morning yesterday to meet Chenle at the foster care, feeding him, playing with him and the other kids, bringing him out for a walk around the neighborhood, bathed him, singing him to sleep before they departed again with a promise of seeing him again soon sealed with a kiss on the forehead.

They also met up with Doyoung last night, the friend-lawyer kind enough to brief them about the home visit because he knows how nerve wracking it can be for expectant parents. Doyoung advised them to always be honest and not sugarcoat their answers, and told them that they have nothing to worry about. It calmed Donghyuck for a while before they parted ways and went home, and the nervousness came back again.

He just… afraid that he will screw this up. They’ve been waiting for this, he... he can’t bear to lose Chenle.

“You’re up?” A voice comes disrupting his thoughts and it is Mark’s, now standing by the door, still in running clothes and all. If only he doesn’t just come back from a run Donghyuck will ask him for a session of cuddling in bed, but he does so Donghyuck settles down with a morning kiss before he shoos Mark away to take a bath.

“No hug?” Mark pouts with his arms open.

“You smell like my socks after being used for three days straight so.. no. Go take a bath I’m going to prepare breakfast.”

“You never wear the same socks for three day straight.”

“That’s not the point here, Mark.” Donghyuck rolls his eyes, reaching for his nightgown and wearing it. “So, go go.”

“I bought some congee for breakfast from the nice chinese restaurant down the road.”

Donghyuck turns around before smiling brightly, “You’re the best! But still no hug until you take a bath.” And with that, he ignores Mark’s pout and leaves him to go to the kitchen.

<center>——</center>

It’s fifteen minutes past eleven when the doorbell rings. Donghyuck is the one who opens the door, trying to relax himself before putting a smile to the woman behind the door. The one who will conduct the home study for them is a middle-aged woman, and she smiles while nodding her head when Donghyuck greets her. She looks nice, so Donghyuck is a bit more relaxed as he guides her inside to the living room where Mark is waiting. He stands up to shake hands with the woman, before they all settle down on the sofa.

“Please let me introduce myself, I’m Wendy from the child adoption services.” She bows her head to both Mark and Donghyuck, “I’ll be the one to interview the both of you and conduct the home study.”

“I’m Donghyuck, Lee Donghyuck. And this is my husband, Mark Lee.”

“Or Lee Minhyung. It’s my korean name.” Mark adds.

They talk some more about trivial things while Donghyuck is in the kitchen making drinks and preparing snacks for three of them. They found out that Wendy is also from Canada, and that ‘clicked’ something in between him and Wendy so they’ve been talking about the country now. Donghyuck takes a deep breath, at least it goes well so far. After a while, he brings the drinks and snacks out and sets them on the living room table.

After Donghyuck settles back down on the sofa right next to Mark, Wendy takes out some papers from her bag and looks up to the expecting couple, “So, should we start right now?” She smiles when the both of them nods, “Don’t be too nervous, it’ll be over before you guys know it.”

“So we will begin the interview together with both of you. And after that, I’ll start with the individual interview. So, can you two tell me how did you two meet?”

The first question is quite unexpected so there is a silent moment in the room for a few seconds before Mark breaks it with his laugh. “Sorry, we weren’t expecting that.” He looks aside to look at Donghyuck, his hand automatically searching for Donghyuck’s to lace their fingers together. “It was.. at the hospital.”

“Interesting, please go on.”

“We were both in our residency at that time. And there was a consult to the paediatric department from mine, I was the on-call resident at that time. We met for the first time at the emergency department. That day was crazy, I forgot to bring my pen, so I borrowed it from him.”

“And he broke it.” Donghyuck deadpans, “On the exact same day.”

“I was clumsy, I admit. Then I said to him I’d buy the pen from him, to redeem my mistake.”

“But I said no, of course. It was just a pen!” Donghyuck laughs. “But he kept being persistent. So I said, if he really wanted to change it, he could buy the same pen and gave the new one to me. I won’t receive any money, I’ll just accept a new pen.”

“Do you know at that time I already fell for you for a little bit?”

“You did?” Donghyuck looks at Mark with surprised eyes, “You never told me! I thought it was from the charity night? You said you fell in love for me on that event, when I sang a song that night?”

Mark only shrugs his shoulder, “That was when I realized I was falling for you for real all those times… But actually I’ve been hearing a lot about the resident Donghyuck, the one from paediatric with a killer smile. It was like a fate, I broke your pen and was given another chance to see you again.”

“After that he did buy a pen for me but it was never the same pen like he broke before? He just kept buying the wrong pens, I wonder if he did it intentionally.” Donghyuck rolls his eyes. Mark mouths the word, “I did” to Wendy, which Wendy catches and laughs at. “And from those events, we went for the first date, second date, and without us knowing, we were dating each other.”

“Was there any time when the both of you had a big fight.. or some kind?”

“Yep, no couple is really free from problems. Us included.” Mark answers, “Our personalities are really different, like one hundred and eighty degree different. We struggled a lot during our first few months in relationship, finally ‘showing’ each other our real personalities. Donghyuck was just like… I’ve lived in Canada, America and even Korea for a few years before I met him.. it was my first time meeting someone like him.”

“There was time he said he was about to resign from the hospital because of me.” Donghyuck looks at his side to find Mark staring at him, “But in the end, he didn’t. We.. talked it out. I admit that communication wasn’t our strongest ability at that time. Residency life was really tiring, we met each other only briefly everyday and when we finally be able to meet, we were tired and easily riled up. It went wrong one time that led to the big fight.”

“We finally decided to talk it out after we noticed that it was clearly affecting our daily work. Truthfully, I thought we were going to break up at that time.” Mark sighs as he has his head down, “But thank God everything went well, and we decided to put it behind us and promised each other to communicate more. After that we still have fights here and there, damn, we even fought last night about choosing the cafe where we would meet our lawyer at.”

“We are like Tom and Jerry, there will be no end on it. But we push through.”

Wendy listens to them intently as she makes some notes on her papers. She may doesn’t say a lot of things, and she lets the couple talk naturally because she wants to observe their interactions with one another. Every child should be guaranteed to a good home life, and a good home life starts from a house filled with love. The couple in front of her seems to fit for the criteria just by seeing their reactions to the first question alone, and it gives her a good feeling. “It is nice to hear about how you both grow as couple. And really interesting first meet-up story too, not the usual ones definitely.” The three of them laugh, “Next question, when and why do you think that it’s the right time to adopt a child?”

“I’ve loved being with kids for a long time…” Donghyuck starts, but getting cut by Mark’s mumble of “Of course, you’re a pediatrician after all.” Donghyuck sends Mark a stern gaze before continuing, “I love kids, I work with them everyday. So the image of having a family has been on my mind since the very start of our relationship. But I know that things take time and having kids of my own is really different from having kids at the hospital to take care of. And we were just starting so I don’t want to burden Mark about it.”

“We talked about it a lot, and definitely talked about it after we got married three years ago. But there was never really a decision for it. We were both quite watchful with each other about this. It was just one day I got this one patient in quite a critical condition, seeing the devotion of the parents to be strong for their child and give them the support they deserve, making me feel.. wanting to feel those emotions.”

“At the same day, we were out for dinner and there was this little girl couldn’t take her eyes off Mark. She was reacting to him making silly expressions. And at the same day we accidentally met our friends babysitting their niece, she was a big fan of Mark and I saw how Mark played with her, hugged her, carried her… I don’t know about that day but it seemed like some kind of sign? God showed me those that day.” Donghyuck takes a deep breath, “And that night I told Mark that I would try to start a family, with him. And he cried.”

“Yes.”

“He cried. Hard.” Donghyuck teases, “The decision of course didn’t come based on that day alone, but it was like a build up and that day was really the day that made everything ‘clicked’”.

Wendy seems satisfied? Or not, with the answer, Donghyuck will never know. She keeps her expression neutral, nodding every now and then to give sign that she’s listening. “Now onto more serious question, you two both work as doctors. One as pediatrician and one as a surgeon. A cardiothoracic surgeon to be exact.” Wendy corrects, Donghyuck squeezes Mark hand in his grip in nervousness. “You two are in major departments in medical field, you two must be busy. How will you manage child care with that?”

“We do realize that our schedules can’t be said to be as free as other parents, but at the same time, it’s pretty flexible. I used to be the junior in the paediatric departments, so most works are usually being thrown at me. But now, another friend of mine is joining the hospital, also a pediatrician so some works has been lifted off of me. And I have another resident that will be graduated soon, I plan to take him under my wing. If things go as planned, it will really help lessen my work duty a lot and I’ll have less patient to take care of and my schedule will be a lot more flexible.”

“And for Mark?”

“I, I—“ Mark stutters, Wendy notices his nervousness and gives him time to drink some water and calm himself down. Donghyuck just put one of his hand on the small of Mark’s back, tracing little circles with his finger that he knows will always calm Mark down. “I don’t really plan things as far as Donghyuck, i’m still the junior on the department that I’m in.” Wendy raises her eyebrows slightly at Mark’s answer, and she might think it is not that noticeable but Mark clearly sees. “But I will try hard to be able to have time with Chenle as much as I can, being a father figure for him that is loving and also supportive of my husband.”

“I see…” Wendy nods a few times, pen never stopping to write on her notepad. “What will you do if the two of you somehow get a night shift together at the hospital, or has to be at the hospital at the same time?”

“As for on-call schedule, it can be arranged. And actually for the time we have worked together so far, it only happened once or twice. Our friends is mostly understandable, so if we happen to have an on-call schedule at the same time, we will try to negotiate with our friends to swap schedules with us.”

Wendy asks them some more questions after that, have you ever experience abuse, domestic abuse or drugs abuse or alcohol abuse? How many times a week do you guys drink? Do you think the community you live now is safe? How was you growing up? Where are your parents now? Do you guys have chronic health issues? Plans on emergency situations? Have you been arrested? And other questions that can be so random and so expected. Donghyuck tries to keep calm through every questions, answering with beating heart and sweaty palm. Wendy helps them to get relaxed, of course but it still feels nerve wracking at the same time. Mark even thinks this is harder than his entrance exam for residency. Even more from the national exam to finally be a surgeon.

After the question part is done, they move to the house tour. Wendy checks their house from the front porch, to the living room again, to the kitchen, the bathroom, their bedroom. Observing every nooks and cranny, pointing out possible danger for kids and advice, but also showing them good points. Donghyuck notes them all inside his head, table corner protectors, safety gates, electric outlets cover and a list of other things. The house tour course ends on the soon-to-be baby’s room, which is still bare.

“We.. still don’t buy anything for the room. We really don’t want to jinx it. But we already looks around for what’s needed like baby’s crib, changing tables, and also we plan to repaint the room to another color.”

“Oh, really? What color?”

“We’re planning for something like warm yellow, or another pastel color. So, nothing too bright for the baby’s eyes.”

They talk for some more inside the room, and when Wendy finally calls it and end and bids the couple goodbye, the clock already strikes four. Donghyuck throws himself on the longue chair, closing his eyes as he takes a deep breath. Mark walks closer to him, leaning down while putting both of his arms on the chair’s armrests, caging Donghyuck. “Tired?” He asks lowly.

Donghyuck sighs, “Totally. I’m really hungry right now.”

“I’ll prepare for some hot bath and call in delivery. We bath, we eat, we go to bed early. What do you think?”

“Sounds like a plan, wake me up when the bath is ready.” Mark nods and he’s just about to go when Donghyuck grabs the front of his shirt and pulls him closer, he has his eyes open to look at Mark intently in the eyes, “Kiss me before you go.” Mark only smiles hearing his husband’s request, and he leans down to kiss Donghyuck square on the lips. Deep and long.

They part when they are running out of oxygen. Donghyuck still has his eyes closed when Mark leans down to whisper on his ears, “You did well today, Donghyuck-ah. We did well today.”

<center>——</center>

Mark is walking through the hospital corridor to get to the pediatric ward. There are skips on his steps, showing that he’s excited about something. In fact, yes, he is excited about something. He ends his surgery quite early today, already preparing especially for today. He can’t wait to tell Donghyuck, he needs this, heck, they both need this.

Just like world is also conspiring with his plan, he finds Donghyuck immediately on the paediatric ward nurse station. Donghyuck’s eyes light up when he spots Mark on the entrance. “I was just about to call you!” Donghyuck leans forward to catch Mark’s lips in a kiss, inviting squealing noises from the nurses behind them. Donghyuck immediately hides his face on Mark’s chest, embarrassed. This embarrassed side of Donghyuck is really a sight for Mark, he loves it.

“Are you done for the day?” Mark asks.

“Yep! That was why I was about to call you. Are you too?”

“Yes, and in fact, I have a surprise for you.”

“A surprise? What is it?”

“You have to wait until we get there.”

“We’re going somewhere?”

“Somewhere that I know you’ll love. Should we go now?”

“Yes yes yes!!” Donghyuck is always excited with things like these, surprises, presents. He turns into a child in Christmas waiting excitedly for Santa to come and takes a look at his presents. Donghyuck excuses himself to his room to grab his things, leaving Mark chats with Lucas who is also hanging out in the department’s nurse table.

“Lucas, thank you so much for your help, Man.” Mark bro-hugs Lucas, who just laughs as a reply. “It’s nothing, Mark. I know you two really need it, I don’t mind covering him until the weekend.”

“We’ll make sure to bring you some gifts.”

“Gifts from where?” Donghyuck’s voice surprises both of them, and when Mark turns around Donghyuck is already there with his white coat thrown in one arm and his bag on another arm. Mark pats himself on the back for not accidentally revealing his so-called surprise. Before Donghyuck asks more questions, he puts an arm around his husband’s shoulder, bids goodbye to everyone (and a wink for Lucas), and leads Donghyuck out of the ward.

Fifteen minutes later and they are on the road to.. “We’re heading to the airport?” Donghyuck asks when he realizes Mark is moving to the lanes for those going to the airport. Mark only shrugs as answer, trying to avoid Donghyuck’s piercing stare. “Mark, it’s not time for your guessing game. Are we going to the airport?”

Mark finally gives in, “Yes, we are. We are going to Jeju to meet your parents.”

“What? Mark!” Donghyuck suddenly screamed, making Mark surprised and almost swerving into a different lane. “Mark, we still have work!”

“I’ve arranged it. I’ve talked to your department’s head and the hospital board to give you and I a short break from this day until the weekend. And I also talked to Lucas to coverfor you during the time you take a break.”

Donghyuck stays silent, and it is worrying Mark a little bit. Is he angry with me? Mark waits until they are finally arrived at Gimpo airport and park the car on the overnight parking lot before Mark turns to his side to look at Donghyuck.

“Donghyuck, it’s been hard for us for the past few months because of the adoption process. We’re doing our best and I feel it, but at the same time I see you grow tired and tired day by day juggling everything. That’s why I prepared this, a short getaway for the two of us to Jeju to fresh you up a little bit again. I’ve called your parents, they are really excited to see us and probably already on their way to the airport to pick us up even though I told them not to.”

The last sentence cracks a smile on Donghyuck’s face, remembering how overbearing his parents can be. They will go all out everytime Donghyuck and Mark are visiting Jeju. Mark grabs for Donghyuck’s hands, “You need this, I need this. We need this. We’ll come back more relaxed and fresh, and ready to face the adoption process again.”

“And to be really honest, I also miss you. For the past months we were really busy with adoption I feel like we didn’t really have time where we just spent time with each other, focusing only on each other.”

“And no! I didn’t mean it as I don’t like the adoption process or I blame it, no I don’t mean that. But I just want the two of us to spend some time together, away from the hospital talk, the adoption talk. Just be mark, and donghyuck, married couple who are happy and in love.”

They fall into silence once again and Mark really about to offer Donghyuck to just go home and spend the day at the apartment when Donghyuck finally says something, “I’m— I don’t know what to say.” He starts, “But thank you, for thinking that far for me. And let’s go to Jeju, I’ve been missing mom and dad too. All these time with Chenle making me remember mom a lot.”

Mark beams at the ‘green light’ from Donghyuck, “Let’s go, our plane is going board in one hour.”

When Mark said he already prepared for everything, it includes their baggage. “You did this? When did you pack for our stuffs?” Donghyuck says with amazement when Mark takes out their luggage from the car’s trunk. “I did it last night, when you were asleep.” Mark closes the car’s trunk and offers a hand for Donghyuck to hold, which Donghyuck accepts gladly.

“Mark,” Donghyuck calls for his husband’s attention after they settle down on their seats in the airplane one hour after. “Yep?”

“I miss you too, I didn’t get the chance to said it back earlier.” Donghyuck says lowly as he lays his head on Mark’s shoulder, closing his eyes as he feels the comfort of being in his beloved one’s hold.

Mark doesn’t say anything, only landing a light kiss on top of Donghyuck’s head. “Let’s bring something back for Chenle, should we?”

Donghyuck chuckles, “Will he love a dol-harubang plushie?”

“We’ll buy a lot, so he can choose.”

“You said we won’t spoil him and here you are.”

“Anything is forgiven for a first, right?”

“If Chenle grows up to be a spoiled kid that hate on his dad, I’ll blame you.”

<center>——</center>

<center>[Few months later]</center>

It is a hot sunny day when the news arrives. The loud sound of shoes along the corridor to the operating room can be heard from afar. The sight of the man running is taking everyone’s attention but that doesn’t stop him, a phone is clutched tightly in his grip. Mark is in the middle of closing up a patient, totally unaware of everything happened outside. He is about to close the suture with some gauze when someone walks inside the operating theater, breathing harshly as if he just ran for miles.

Mark looks up, “Donghyuck?”

“We can take this from here, Doc.” An assistant nurse offers himself to do the final touch on the patient’s suture, allowing Mark to go with Donghyuck. Mark sends him an appreciating smile (even though no one can see it because he’s wearing a mask), and says thank you before excusing himself. He leads Donghyuck out of the room, throwing away their surgery gown and washing his hands before heading to the doctor’s longue.

“Donghyuck, what happened? It’s rare to see you—“

“We did it.”

“—to see you here in— What?”

“We did it. We passed everything.”

Mark falls into a trance for a while, brain trying to process everything. It takes three, two, one… “The adoption? We passed the adoption?’

“Yes! Yes! Yes!” Donghyuck screams excitedly before throwing himself to Mark, hugging him tightly. “Doyoung just texted me. He said we passed it. We need to sign some papers to make it official, but yes, we are Chenle’s parents by law now.”

Mark has dreamed about this situation for a few times before. Like, how will he react when they finally get the news. How will Donghyuck react. How will it feel to finally be able to call Chenle his son, for forever. Nothing he imagined is going to be the same as what he feels right now. It feels.. amazing. Even amazing is an understatement.

They are still hugging as Donghyuck kept repeating the words ‘Chenle’s parents’ over and over again. Now their home is going to be Chenle’s home too. They will come back to their little sunshine, ready to take away their pains and tiredness. The sleepless night will also come, the neverending diaper changing, the bottle feeding, the everything. But they are ready.

“So, when will we get to sign the paper and bring Chenle back to home?”

“Doyoung said he’ll get the paper ready by tomorrow and we can meet him after work.” Donghyuck beams, “After we sign it, we wait it to be processed for a few days and then by the weekend we can go fetch Chenle at the foster home and we can bring him home. To our home.”

It still feels unreal somehow. Mark is at loss of words.

“Our home.”

Donghyuck nods, “Mark’s, Donghyuck’s and Chenle’s home.”

“God, Donghyuck, is this even real?”

“I can’t believe it either.” Donghyuck sighs, “We’re going to be parents, no! Scratch that, we’re parents.”

They stay in the position for a while, Donghyuck on Mark’s lap and Mark burying his face on Donghyuck’s neck. The happiness inside them is just overflowing, and Donghyuck can even feels Mark’s smile on his skin. It just takes minutes before Mark is kissing his way up from Donghyuck’s neck to his lips. He pulls away just a few milimeters away from Donghyuck, whispering something with the low voice that always sends goosebumps all over Donghyuck’s body.

“Should we, go and celebrate it at home?”

<center>——</center>

 

 

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here you go! Hihi baby Chenle is now officially them :) And he will be the cutest new member of the family. I’ll write more about his arrival on their home on next chapter :) Hope you dont give up on this fic just yet, hehe
> 
> Twitter : sevendreamiess  
> CC : dreamies7


	11. believe it or not, it’s real

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> it’s the three of them now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> dedicated to those with never ending support to this fic, and specially for kak N (you know who you are! thanks for always believing in my writing.) an update after a while guys! i really really wanted to write this chapter but things just got in the way sometimes. As usual, i hope i did better but nonetheless, i hope you enjoy it!!! 
> 
> Much love from naz *mwah*

“Aaaaand you can put the changing table.. there!” Donghyuck instructs one of the worker before turning to another one who is bringing another sets of boxes. “You can put it in the living room, I’ll take it from there.”

“Woah woah woah woah!!” Donghyuck screams in exclamation as he makes his way fast to the front door, almost colliding into Mark coming out from the kitchen with a bottle of water on his hold. There’s a small white towel around his neck, his shirt is covered with sweat.

It’s not the usual Friday.

It’s decorate-Chenle’s-room-and-make-it-ready-by-tomorrow-because-they-are-picking-up-Chenle-tomorrow Friday!

After the news came early in the week, they met up with Doyoung, their ever understanding lawyer, immediately the next day. The signing of the paper really didnt happen in the best places nor time, being at the hospital cafetaria again on 8 p.m because Donghyuck decided to swap night shift schedule with Lucas so he can have the weekend free. But even with that situation, they happily signed the paper with smiles on their faces.

_A lone figure is sitting alone in the middle of the big cafeteria. It’s already past the dinner time so the cafeteria is not that crowded, only a few people are coming in and out to buy some take-outs or dining in. Some also stay, maybe to get a break with a cup of coffee or even the infamous delicious apple pie that one of the stall sells. Kim Doyoung is busying himself with his phone while waiting for one of his clients, clients slash friends, actually. A wonderful couple, one of them he luckily met during university days and bonded through their love in singing. It’s funny that they met because of music but now leading lives that are completely far from it. That’s life, after all._

_Doyoung is sipping on his coffee when a familiar figure is coming through the cafeteria door, clad in red wine on-shift scrubs and white coat on top of it, clearly a doctor at the hospital. When the person’s gaze meets Doyoung’s, he waves his hand excitedly before going to Doyoung’s table. “I’m sorry you have to meet us here, hyung.” The man shakes Doyoung’s hand and making his place across Doyoung. The lawyer only waves his hand, “It’s really okay, Mark. I understand you two’s schedules.”_

_Mark leans back on his seat and sighs, “It’s been a while since the both of us has the same night shift. But I guess, it’s for the better because after this all done, we can’t have the same shift.”_

_“Better now than later.” Doyoung quips, which earned a nod from Mark. “Anyway, where’s Donghyuck?”_

_“Ah,” Mark pulls out his phone from one of his coat’s pocket, “He texted me fifteen minutes ago that he has a consult from a department, he’ll answer that first before coming here. It won’t take too long.” Mark throws his gaze away to his surrounding, before looking at Doyoung again. “Hyung, I want to buy some foods to eat. Do you want something?”_

_“You don’t have to, Mark. I’m okay.”_

_“But, hyuung~” Mark whines, “Please choose something, just think of it as my thank you for coming all the way here when it’s way past your work time.”_

_“Really, Mark, I’m okay—“ Doyoung stops when he notices the pout on Mark’s face, and who is Doyoung to say no to those eyes? Mark might say that he’s not good at acting cute, but his actions clearly proves otherwise. Doyoung sighs, before smiling, “Okay then, if you insist.”_

_“I insist.”_

_“I’ll take the kimchi stew, and can I add some egg rolls too?”_

_“Kimchi stew and egg rolls, noted hyung! I’ll get some kimchi pancakes too to eat together. Wait for me a bit!” Mark winks before he stands up to go buy the food he and Doyoung want. Doyoung watches as the ajumma behind the stalls greet the surgeon brightly when he approaches them. Surgeons really have that charm in them, really._

_He’s busying himself in reading some emails regarding his next case when a tap on the shoulder pulls him out of it. When he turns his head around, Donghyuck is there, also in red-wine scrubs but with cute animal patches in one of the pocket, really shows that he’s working in the pediatric unit, which he is, afterall. “Non-stop working, hyung? You really need to take a break.”_

_“I’m taking a break, after I’m done with you guys.” Doyoung smiles, already imagining Lake Como with all it’s beauty._

_“Really?!” Donghyuck exclaims excitedly, which Doyoung nods. “Second honeymoon.”_

_“Damn, I envy you.”_

_“Envy what?” Mark’s voice suddenly comes from behind, on his hand is a tray filled with foods. Donghyuck’s eyes light up at the view of foods. He’s hungry and he hasn’t eaten anything since quick brunch with Mark this morning. Paediatric ward is busy, unlike usual._

_They dig into the food, all in comfortable silence. Some of the sauce is smeared on Donghyuck’s face, Mark tsks as he grabs for some tissues to swipe it off. “Look, hyung, I’m going to take care of two kids soon.”_

_Donghyuck only rolls his eyes and continue with his food, “As if you’re not a kid yourself.”_

_“Does that mean two kids will take care of another kid? Should I go now and take away these papers for Chenle’s own safety?”_

_“NOOOOOO!!!” Both Mark and Donghyuck scream immediately at the same time, earning glances from the tables around him. Their eyes are wide open, with foods still inside their mouth. Total kiddos, the two of them. And Doyoung is dying with laughter._

_“Now, now give me the paper fast! I need to sign it off before my lawyer runs away with it!”_

They really don’t want to wait any longer, so despite the baby room still 50% done, they already contacted the orphanage that they’ll come to pick Chenle up on Saturday. The happy news was welcomed by crying Irene on the phone, and Donghyuck was on the verge of crying himself if not Mark taking over the phone and spoke to Irene before they bid goodbye.

So, because baby Chenle will come to his new home tomorrow, it’s time for Donghyuck and Mark to finish the preparation!

Most of the fundamental elements of the room is done, like new paint (they decided to paint it with different colors, all in pastels!), and Donghyuck assembled the puzzle mat for the floor whenever he comes home to work early. Just yesterday, Mark almost fell from the chair when he put on the new curtain. The changing table has been set up since weeks ago after they got back from Jeju. All that’s left now is the baby’s crib and they’re all done for the time being. The other things will come naturally as the time passes.

When all the boxes of things has been moved from the truck down below into their apartment, Donghyuck signs the acceptance invoice and the employees left. Donghyuck sighs as he scans around his living room, a complete mess with boxes, some unopened and some opened.

“They already left?” Mark comes out from their bedroom, after changing into another t-shirt. Donghyuck frowns at the piece of clothing as if it’s offending him, the white t-shirt Mark wore before is completely fine! (More over, after soaked with sweat.)

“They did. And now it’s up to us.”

Mark sits down on the sofa, opening one of the box and finds out that it’s the highchair. Did Donghyuck say that Chenle can sit on his own now? It was quite a moment when Donghyuck and Mark came to visit him the other day and when they got into his room, Chenle was sitting in his crib, just like he knew his parents would come. He’ll be crawling in no time!

“I think we should start with the baby’s crib first. It’s the most important thing, we can install the carseat tomorrow.” Donghyuck decides, and Mark follows suit. They drag the biggest box inside to the baby’s room, before unpacking the stuffs inside. Both decided on an acrylic baby crib, a modern take of the essential piece. It looks so sleek and modern, and with its transparent design, it’ll be easier for them to keep watch on Chenle even from far.

“Are you sure you can put this together?” Donghyuck asks as he focuses on the manual book, too many words and instructions it’s making his head spin. Mark inspects the pieces and then shrugs, “I can literally fix a hole inside a heart by opening it while it’s still beating and closing it again. I guess this is a piece of cake.”

“Now now now, getting cocky, aren’t you?”

“You ask, I deliver, baby.”

True to his words, Mark is done with the baby’s crib in two hours. Donghyuck bailed in the middle because he just had no idea, and decided to go for the easier one like the high chair and playpen. Now the chair is standing proudly as the new addition to their dining table, and Donghyuck can’t be anymore excited. He peeks into the baby’s room and finds Mark rearranging the mattress and pillows around the crib. All in soft grey colors and little patterns on it. The bed is now standing proudly right in the middle of the room, the main point.

Mark lets out a heavy sigh as the steps back to admire his handywork, and his body jolted in a little surprise when he feels a pair of arms latches from behind. A familiar weight settles on his back, it’s Donghyuck. “Are you done?”

He feels Donghyuck nods, “Chenle will love his new room, won’t he?”

Mark looks around, to the new crib, to the changing table, to the drawer where they’ll keep all Chenle’s clothes and toys, to the new curtain, to the small pictures in the frame on one side of the wall— showing Chenle’s photo right after he was born, up to the little trinkets made of golden and silver stars they hang on top of the crib.

The room is slowly turning into a baby’s room. Like, a a real one. All that’s left is a baby to fill it with laughters, cries, baby babbles, excited shouts... Mark’s hand finds it way to Donghyuck’s that rest on his stomach, holding it.

“He’ll love it. He’ll love his new home, he’ll love his new room.”

———————

Saturday comes and Donghyuck is in high tension ever since they wake up. They initially planned to go to the orphanage a little after 10, but Donghyuck and Mark just can’t help it so they are on their way on 7 even before getting any breakfast. They just stop at some rest area and grab some quick things they can eat on the road.

They arrive a little after 10, and some children that are playing in the front lawn recognizes their car and they run immediately to welcome them. Donghyuck hugs them one by one and they excitedly tell Donghyuck about their week, while Donghyuck is trying to keep up with them as much as he can.

Irene has been waiting for them inside, and she directs them immediately upstairs. “We just cleaned Chenle up after the breakfast, he made quite a mess.” The three of them laugh, “We already packed his things into a bag. There are not much to begin with, they’re all from you.”

Just then Donghyuck realizes the underlying sad tone in Irene’s voice. Eventhough since the very start she knows that Chenle will get adopted by Donghyuck and Mark eventually, she has been the one who took care of Chenle while he is in the orphanage. Donghyuck and Mark can only come few times a month and stay for a few hours, but Irene is indeed the one that Chenle wakes up to. The motherly feeling for Chenle must have grown, no matter how much she told herself not to get too attached.

Chenle is lying awake on his crib when they get in, another one of the caretaker is putting on the clothes for him. Mark walks past Donghyuck to change places with the caretaker and puts on Chenle’s clothes. He blows some raspberries into the baby’s little round stomach, Chenle’s laugh soon fills the room.

Donghyuck turns to his side to look at Irene, who’s silently watching Mark communicating with Chenle with facial expressions and baby babbles. He steps closer to hug her, and just like a trigger, Irene cries immediately. Donghyuck holds her even tighter. “Thank you Irene. Thank you so much.” Donghyuck feels his eyes getting hotter too and when he looks around to hold back his tears, his eyes meet Mark’s. Mark gives him an encouraging smile and lets him be. Chenle is now snuggling at Mark’s chest, his head on his shoulder and Mark just cant stop kissing the little boy’s head. Some hair has grown and Chenle looks dashing as ever.

“I’m so so so sorry, Donghyuck.” Irene turns, “and Mark. I really didnt expect myself to be this emotional.” Irene says after she calms herself down, Donghyuck still hugs her from the side.

“It’s okay, Irene. We understand.” Mark smiles.

“I’m really happy for him. He finally gets the family he deserves. I will always get sad when one of my children are getting out from this orphanage, but my happiness is bigger to know that they’re now can call a place ‘home’ and have loving parents. It’s what they deserve.”

“Thank you for taking care of him while we were away, Irene.” Donghyuck squeezes Irene’s shoulder in affection, “We’ll make sure he knows you too as he grows up. We’ll try to visit as much as we can.”

Irene knows that’s what (almost) every parents promise her before they go home with their adopted child. Some fulfill their promises, but some don’t. Irene knows not to hope much but she’s thankful of the gesture nonetheless. So, Irene only hugs Donghyuck back as an answer before excusing herself. “I’ll meet you guys downstairs to say goodbye with the other kids.”

Mark is by Donghyuck’s side as soon as Irene closes the door behind her. Without words, he transfers Chenle to Donghyuck’s hold. It makes Chenle whinning for a while, being pulled from his father’s (Mark can finally call himself Chenle’s father now!!) hold, but quickly calmed down as he feels his other father’s presence. Donghyuck holds Chenle to put them face to face to each other, “Do you miss me?” And as if he understands the question, Chenle breaks out into a wide smile. “I’ll take that as a yes!”

They go downstairs after double-checking that they have packed all Chenle’s things, not forgetting the dol-harubang doll and dolphin patterned blanket that are always an arm away from the baby. The other kids are already waiting at the orphanage’s living room, Mark’s heart breaks a little when he sees some of them has tear tracks on their faces.

On the other side, he is also happy to know that Chenle is well loved.

Donghyuck sits in the middle of the sofa, and the children are crowding on him immediately. “Hold on hold on, guys. If you all start crowding in suddenly, Chenle will get scared. And we really dont want to make him cry, do we?” The kids cheer out “Yes” immediately, and start giving space for Donghyuck and Chenle.

Mark already said this, but he’s going to say it again, Donghyuck works WONDERS with kids.

The kids take turns to say goodbye to Chenle, give him a hug and kiss him on his forehead. Mark places himself next to the line just in case any kid needs more hugs or needs a shoulder to cry on longer. Mark’s ready with hugs.

“Thank you to all of you, Chenle has so many wonderful big brothers and sisters.” Donghyuck says to the kids after the line comes to an end, his voice is a little bit gruff, a sign that he’s been crying himself. “Uncle makes sure that he’ll visit here as much as we can, you guys will welcome us right?”

“Yes!!!!”

With that, they finally bid goodbye to the orphanage. Donghyuck and Mark make sure to hug all of the caretakers, and hug Irene the tightest. She looks like she is about to cry again. But she whispers something to Donghyuck when they hug (as much as they can with Chenle between them), it brings another level of warmth into Donghyuck’s chest.

“I trust you, Donghyuck. You’ll do fine.”

Donghyuck sends Irene a grateful smile when they depart, not really believing his voice now. Mark puts an arm around his shoulder when they walk back to their car. Stealing a kiss on Chenle’s forehead then proceed to kiss Donghyuck’s forehead too, “Let’s go to our home, shall we?”

———

Chenle fell asleep on their way home and just wakes up when Mark is manuveuring the car into the apartment’s parking lot. His eyes turns into big rounds as he looks around, probably stunned with the new surroundings.

Donghyuck keeps talking to him, telling him this and that even though Chenle still doesn’t understand anything. While Chenle just stares at his papa intently, as if listening to every words he says.

When they arrive in front of their apartment door, Donghyuck stops Mark from opening the door.

“What happened, hyuck?”

Donghyuck takes a deep breath, “It’s nothing, I’m just.. nervous. It’s going to feel different going through that door with Chenle my arms now.”

Mark chuckles, “It’s okay, calm yourself down for a while. But not too long, Chee can’t wait to see the room we’ve made for him!” Mark walks around Donghyuck to get to in front of Chenle, “Don’t you think so, Little Markie?”

_Breath in. Breath out. Breath in. Breath out._

“I’m ready.”

Mark smiles fondly at him, before leaning in to peck Donghyuck’s lips. “You’ll do fine. We’ll be fine.” And with that, he opens the door to their apartment.

And with the first bloom of cherry blossom to mark the start of Spring, Donghyuck and Mark starts a new chapter in their life, in their relationship.

Introducing you, Zhong/Lee Chenle.

—————

It’s close to 10pm when Mark arrives home. He has a morning weekend shift today (which he hates!!! Because it’s supposed to be their second weekend as a family of three), and again he was supposed to end his shift at six. But just like any other time, “wonderful” cases just had to come at an injury time. Thankfully not something as hard as open thoracotomy, just a chest tube procedure but with hemodinamically unstable patient. Which is just disaster waiting to happen.

Great, just great.

The apartment is dark and in silence when he closes the door behind him, just like how he expects. He guesses Donghyuck already fell asleep, he texted the other not to wait for him just before he went in for the last surgery. Mark feels a bit bad to leave Donghyuck for the whole day with Chenle on a weekend like this, but at least they enjoyed their little date to the grocery store earlier that day (Donghyuck sent photos of them in front of the dairy section, Chenle in the baby carrier strapped on his front, head peeking cutely). They still have Sunday tomorrow, he’ll make sure to spend it with them.

Mark makes his way to their room and peeks inside to see the bed is still made with no Donghyuck in sight, which confuses him. Is the other not home? But that thought is dismissed once he sees Donghyuck’s phone on the bedside table, and he remembers seeing Donghyuck’s shoes on the front porch as well. So, where did he go?

Mark is about to grab for some water in the kitchen when he notices a sliver of light coming from the door next to kitchen, it is the door to the room that they planned to be the baby’s room. Of course Donghyuck will be there. Mark opens the door slowly and smiles fondly when he finds Donghyuck inside the room, sitting on the rocking chair that’s once placed in the living room.

A feeling strucks Mark. The feeling of _deja vu._

Just a few months ago he was in the same position, same situation. But instead of finding Donghyuck alone in the room, he finds Donghyuck with Chenle on the rocking chair together. From the look of if, Donghyuck is getting Chenle to sleep. The little baby comes to has a habit to only sleep if Donghyuck sings to him, it’s kind of cute, really. And understandable. Because Donghyuck has a really good voice for singing.

The previously bare walls are now colored with four different kinds of pastel colors, all with it’s own theme. And other things has come to decorate the room other than the rocking chair. There’s a big giraffe doll that Jeno and Renjun gave Chenle, the milk heater machine from Donghyuck’s parents, and a set of baby’s toys from Mark’s parents. They are planning to fly from Canada next month to meet their first grandson.

“Donghyuck?” Mark calls softly as he taps his husband’s body, watching the other turning hus head slowly, afraid to wake up the little bundle of joy on his arms. “Mark?”

“The surgery just finished about one hour ago. I’m so sorry.”

Donghyuck waves a hand at it, “It’s okay, I understand. Did you eat already?”

“Nope.” Mark shakes his head, “Is he sleeping?”

Donghyuck takes a glance at Chenle’s face, his angelic face is calm, his breathing even, and that little pout is there. “Yes, he is. Do you want to put him on the crib?”

Mark nods immediately, thank God he changed his on call scrub at the hospital before so he wears a clean shirt now. He really doesn't want to bring all the bacterias from the hospital to Chenle. The baby doesn't whine nor react when he is transferred to Mark’s arms. Mark lets himself cuddle his little baby for a while, before kissing his forehead and laying his body down the baby’s crib.

“He’s wonderful, isn’t he?” He hears Donghyuck whispers, leaning his body on Mark’s side and his head on Mark’s shoulder. “Still can’t believe he’s ours sometimes.”

“Well, believe it or not, he is.” Mark answers, “So, do you have plans for tomorrow?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> scream at me, sevendreamiess at twitter, dreamies7 at curiouscat
> 
> the acrylic baby crib i have in mind : https://goo.gl/images/4LFrpy :3


	12. daddy’s day out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> donghyuck goes away for a medical seminar, and it is just Mark and Chenle together against the world (or against each other, really).

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello, dear readers!! after a long time, i finally managed to finished this chapter. thank you for those who are sticking around and waiting, i will work harder and harder to be able to write fics like those amazing writers in the ficdom! i hope you’ll enjoy this chapter. 
> 
> with love, 
> 
> paw!

The curtains are drawn open, letting the 9am sunlight coming through to the small kitchen. There are unwashed plates, cups in the sink; a clear evidence of breakfast an hour prior. Baby bottles are lined up at one side of the kitchen, with the sterilizer right beside it. Little notes of baby foods recipe is now decorating the fridge’s door. The access to the kitchen is sealed with gate, too high for babies to climb, easy enough for adults to jump over. 

Everything corner of the house is showing the growth of a family. 

“You sure you’re going to be alright?” Donghyuck puts his hands on his waist, cocking his hips to the side. His attention is on Mark, who is sitting on the sofa. The brown haired male is busy taking notes diligently about everything Donghyuck has said to him for the past twenty minutes. Mark is so into his notes that he doesn’t realize Donghyuck is waiting for his answer. 

“Mark?” Now that gets Mark’s attention. He looks up, eyes wide and answers “Yea?” 

Donghyuck sighs, his mind already working to find a reason so he can cancel this trip. He is planning to take a two day trip to Busan for a medical seminar over the weekend where he will speak about his recent research, and as much as he wants to bring Mark and Chenle along, it’s just too much of a hassle travelling with baby and they haven’t really prepared anything. He figured that it’ll be too tiring and he’ll be in the seminar for the whole day anyway, so he won’t be able to spend time with Mark and Chenle even if they follow him to Busan. 

Also he thinks, in a way, this is a good time for a “daddy time”. For Mark and Chenle to spend time together and bond with each other without him around. 

Mark has shared once that he’s a bit envious about how Chenle always seems to prefer Donghyuck. The little baby will calm down immediately once he is in Donghyuck’s arms, will always search for Donghyuck every time he wakes up in the morning, or only will sleep if Donghyuck sings him a good night song. Donghyuck is sure Chenle doesn’t even understand about preferences or anything yet, but Donghyuck can see where Mark is coming from. 

At first, the “daddy time” sounds like a great idea. But, seeing it now…

“Are you sure you’re going to be alright?” Donghyuck repeats the question once again. His phone buzzed in his coat pocket, probably Jisung (his resident) informing that he’s already downstairs to pick him up to go to the train station together. There’s no going back now, he really should go and leave the father-son duo alone. 

“Yep, I will!” Mark answers with a big smile on his face, confident. He raises from his sitting position, waving proudly at the sheet of paper in his hold. “I already wrote everything that I need to know! You don’t have to worry!” 

“I SHOULD be worry, Mark. You mistook the flour as baby’s formula—“

“That was ONCE!!” 

“—and confused why the milk was THICK.” Donghyuck sighs, and his phone vibrates again. He took it out and put it on his ear, “Yes, I’ll come down in a second.” 

“Who is it?” Mark asks, but he’s still pouting because Donghyuck brought up last week’s incident. He was sleepy, okay! Give him some slack because it was midnight, he just wanted to make Chenle his midnight snack and the kitchen was dark. Mark just happened to grab the wrong tin. He realized later that what he put in wasn’t baby’s formula and quickly called Donghyuck for help. 

“It’s Jisung and the gang, I need to go now. They’re waiting.” Donghyuck put down his phone and walks to Chenle’s room. The little baby is still sleeping soundly inside his crib, accompanied by Mr. Bunny and his little disney tsum dolls. Donghyuck carefully lifts him up and holds him close, kissing the little baby’s face lots of time; from forehead, both eyelids, cheeks, nose, lips, everywhere he can reach. He’ll leave his little baby away for more than 24 hours, he should kiss him enough to last for that long. 

“I’ll miss you, little one. Be nice to daddy, hmm?” Donghyuck says as he looks at Mark, “Don’t make him panic, okay?” 

He slowly puts Chenle back to his crib, the little baby moves a little bit and he elicited a cry once, as if knowing that his appa will leave him for a while. Donghyuck stays for a while to lightly taps Chenle’s tummy, humming a children song lowly. That calms the baby down like magic as he continues sleeping soundly. 

“I should get going,” Donghyuck walks to Mark who is standing by the door. If leaving Chenle is hard, then leaving Chenle and Mark is even harder. Mark is in his home attire, just some cotton pants and white plain t-shirt but he looks so handsome in Donghyuck’s eyes. With glasses that always leave Donghyuck falls for the other just a little bit more. Handsome and so cuddly, the great recipe for a wonderful morning on the weekend. 

 

Too bad they have to cut the morning cuddle for this weekend.

Mark’s arm find it’s way around. Donghyuck’s waist as he lands a kiss on the other’s forehead, “Safe trip, call me when you’re there.”

——

Mark Lee’s mission(s) for the next 24 hours 

Go to the grocery store and buy some formulas, and stock up the fridge  
Make sure to give Chenle the baby food at least once in a day (I prepared them, they are in the fridge. Just heat it up by putting it inside of warm water. If you run out, they have it ready-to-eat on the grocery store.)  
Just… survive until I come back, please. 

Mark pastes the little note on the fridge’s door, re-reading it once again. He was so confident doing all of this alone before when Donghyuck was still here, but now that he’s by himself…. he feels his confidence level slowly going down. Should he just call Donghyuck? Ask the other to come back? Or else, follow the other to Busan? 

He shakes his head, as if shaking the thoughts away. No, Mark Lee, you can do this! He encourages himself. 

Mark was lounging around the TV room when he hears Chenle’s cries, a sign that the other has woken up and not finding anyone around him for too long for his taste. This is it, this is the start, Mark thinks to himself as he walks to the baby’s room. Chenle is almost one year old, and the other can already stand even if he still has to hold onto something. But he’s getting more steady and his legs’ strength is definitely increasing, Mark can’t wait until his baby can walk on his own. Even though that means just another disaster of running around to catch the toddler and making sure he doesn’t bump into anything dangerous. 

“Good morning, little one.” Mark pulls Chenle up by his armpits, blowing kisses to the little boy’s stomach and in turn the room is filled with Chenle’s laughter. “Appa is going to Busan today, so it’ll be just you and me for the day. Is it okay for you?” Mark looks at Chenle’s eyes seriously, and the baby only tilts his head as a response. Mark hums, “I’ll take that as a yes!” 

They go out of the room and Mark is planning to give Chenle his breakfast first before bathing him, to save up his energy cleaning up (because Chenle will surely make a mess while eating) when his nose takes up a familiar smell of.. 

“Did you poop?” He looks at his son, face betrayed. 

The little one breaks into a big smile, before laughing as if he knows he just pulled something on his dad. This trait, definitely comes from Donghyuck’s cheeky side. Sometimes Mark wonders if Chenle is really their child, like biologically theirs. There are just some of his traits that half-resemble Donghyuck, and half-resemble Mark. It makes him all giddy inside. 

That familiar smell invades his nostrils again, and he sighs. Guess the breakfast can wait. 

Bathing Chenle is relatively easy, Mark only struggles with managing how to fold the dirty diaper fast enough so he won’t let go of Chenle in the bathtub alone for too long. In the end, he throw the diaper to the nearest bin and Chenle doesn’t slip. So he calls it a success. Choosing for clothes is another story. He wraps Chenle inside the fluffy towels and just brings him around to get his clothes. But he changes his plans last minute, because they still haven’t had their breakfast and Chenle will surely make a mess, so he settles with naked Chenle sitting on the high chair. 

Breakfast ends with some of the apple and carrot puree Donghyuck prepared beforehand up on his hair (and the floor, and probably the lamp cap above them) and the previously white towel is now full with red-orange stains. But Chenle is smiling behind his milk bottle, full and satisfied, and Mark decides he can live with it. 

——

They get to the grocery store just near the 1 p.m, the warmth is greeting them. The weather has gotten a lot more chilly for the past few days as the year is nearing to an end. The snow has not fallen yet, both Mark and Donghyuck is looking forward to Chenle’s first snow experience. Mark blows some air to his cold hands, kind of regretting not wearing the gloves, clearly underestimating today’s weather. But despite forgetting to put more layers of clothes for himself, he clearly doesn’t forget to make sure Chenle wears his beanie, padding jacket, gloves, socks, and the little Doc Marten boots Mark bought him last week. 

The little baby is inside the baby’s stroller in front of him, his head can’t stop turning left and right, clearly amazed by the new scenery around him. Mark finds that cute, and promises to himself that he’ll bring Chenle outside more to show him how amazing the world can be. He and Donghyuck has been thinking about a family holiday, either it be a Jeju’s trip or even visiting Mark’s parents in Canada. But they have it postponed for a while because they are still not confident enough. Long flights are tiring enough for adults. Flights itself are not easily tolerated for babies, the change in pressure will surely make them comfortable. Not mention all the baby stuffs they need to bring and prepare. All the possible scenarios of tantrums, spilled milk, falls, non-stop cries.

Just thinking of that invites a headache inside Mark’s head. 

This is not the time to think about that, Mark brings himself back to the grocery store he is in now. He pulls out a piece of paper from his back pocket, where he already listed all the things he has to buy. Now let’s start with some… vegetables!

Five minutes in, and Mark finds himself standing in front of a box filled with carrots in variant sizes and shades of colors. He is sure Donghyuck said something about checking the carrots condition to make sure it’s good before buying but how exactly he can deem a carrot to be good? Is there some kind of formula? Do we knock on it just like how we do it for watermelons?

He scratches his head, he should have learnt more from his mother when he was a child. After some more minutes of thinking, a brilliant idea comes to his mind : he can search about it on google! 

Just as he types ‘how to pick the good carrots’, Chenle decides it’s a good time to start fussing around in his stroller and reaching for the nearest carrot he can reach before throwing it to the floor one by one.

“Ya! Zhong-Lee Chenle!” Mark, who is surprised, immediately crouches down in front of the stroller to pick up the fallen carrots. Startled by his father’s loud voice, Chenle’s lips begin to quiver and in seconds time, he’s crying. Guilt is quick to creep into Mark’s heart but he doesn’t stop until he fixes the mess Chenle has made. After bowing to apologize to the staff (to which they smile understandingly), Mark pushes the stroller to a less-crowded corner of the store, before picking up Chenle from his stroller. 

“Shhh.. Shh… Dad is sorry for screaming at you, okay..” Mark brings Chenle closer to his chest, swaying his body left and right and kissing the baby’s head as his sorry. Chenle’s cry doesn’t stop that quick, and Mark finds himself almost crying alongside the other. Damn, how he wishes Donghyuck is here to work his magic. “Dad is very very sorry, Chenle. Dad will not do it again, okay?” Mark whispers it again. 

It takes some time for Chenle to calm down. When he has calmed enough, Mark pulls Chenle away a little to be able to look into his son’s eyes. “Dad is very sorry once again for shouting at you like that, can you forgive dad?” Mark adds a little pout before continuing with a soft voice, “But Chenle, what you did is wrong. Don’t grab things go throw things around, especially foods.” 

Chenle is only staring at him with his eyes widened, and Mark doesn’t know whether his barely one year old baby can understand fully what he’s saying or not, but he hopes the message comes across through his actions. Babies are smarter at picking up things more than people think. He lands a smooch on his baby’s cheek, “Should we continue our shopping again? It’s almost time for your nap.” 

They go to the cashier with well-picked vegetables and fruits, not forgetting the a carton of Chenle’s baby formula that he picked himself. Mark let Chenle picked his baby’s formula from the various tin cans on the shelves, and it looks like the little one remembers the familiar look of his usual formula. His little point finger choose the exact tin can without a doubt, the look of satisfaction in his face when he saw Mark putting the tin can inside their cart was adorable.

Chenle is fast asleep on his stroller as they make their way out of the store, clearly spent by crying and picking out his own baby’s formula. Mark makes sure that the stroller canopy is opened, to prevent Chenle from too much of the dust exposure. He goes home with a spring on his step, one of the mission is done!! 

——

Donghyuck calls him at night, and only listening to the other’s “Hello” is enough to make Mark relaxed enough to melt into the sofa he’s sitting on right now. There’s a change of background noise from the buzz of lots of people talking, to more silence filled with the sound of sea waves. Mark closes his eyes just to savor it in. It must be really nice to be in Busan right now…

“Mark? Hello?” 

“Hello there.. How was the seminar? Did it go well?” 

“It went.. well.” Mark can sense a smile behind Donghyuck’s words, “I didn’t know the interest about my research was this big.” 

“I told you, you’d do fine.” Mark smiles to himself, feeling of pride about his husband. “I told you your research is wonderful, it’s something simple yet highlighted what this country needs about children’s care.”

“I was just not confident, I almost gave it up because we were so busy preparing for Chenle’s adoption.” Donghyuck says slowly, Mark is sure his husband is biting his lips and how Mark wishes he’s there to stop the other from the bad habit. “That’s why I was about to choose to let this thing go and…”

“But remember, you don’t have to choose. If both are important to you, you can have both. I can help in if it comes to Chenle, but sorry I can’t help anything when it comes to your research.” Donghyuck lets out a airy laugh, “Just.. talk about it to me, okay? I also want you to reach for your dreams. We’ll figure something out together. That’s how marriage works.” 

Donghyuck hums, feeling content. “Thank you, Mark.” 

“Anything for you.” 

“Enough about me, how was your day so far? How was Chenle?”

“It was… fine. The day is fine, so far.” Mark quickly adds, he doesn’t want to jinx it. “We went to the grocery store, we filled up the fridge. So far so good.” 

“No cries?” 

Mark wants to tell Donghyuck about the grocery store incident at first, but decides he just can tell the other once he’s home tomorrow. Donghyuck doesn’t need anoher thing to worry about. “It’s manageable.” 

Donghyuck sighs on the other side of the phone, “Thank God, all I was thinking before I called you is how the house is on a mess and Chenle can’t stop crying. But judging from the silence I hear, I guess everything is fine.” 

Mark looks around him; all of the cushions from the living room’s sofa is now on the floor, forming a pillow gate for Chenle who was crawling here and there after the dinner. There are milk stains on the carpet, and is that empty bottle under the TV table? The kitchen situation is not that different, with some chairs turned upside down (don’t ask Mark how did that happen, he himself… doesn’t know) and dirty dishes piled up in the sink because Mark doesn’t have enough energy left to do the dishes. 

The house is clearly… in a mess. 

Mark laughs, forcefully. “Yeah… yeah… clearly not in a mess… Ha… Ha…” 

“I’m proud of you!” Donghyuck says cheerily, he is about to say something but Mark hears someone calls him. He listens to Mark speaking to whoever it is calling him, and after he’s done, he’s quickly on the phone again. “Mark.. sorry, that was Professor Kim. Do you remember him?” 

“Your advisor for thesis? That one?” 

“Yes!! He’s here and he’s asking me to have dinner together with him and his colleagues. I should go now, I’m so sorry.” 

“It’s fine, Donghyuck. I think I’m going to retire early for today too, I didn’t know child care was this tiring.” Cue Mark’s yawn. “More respect to all single mothers and fathers out there.”

“Indeed. Okay, I really should go now. See you tomorrow?” 

“See you tomorrow.” 

“Good night, Mark. I love you! Kiss Chenle for me.” 

“I love you too. Take care.” 

“I will.” 

And the line is off. 

Mark feels his eyes growing heavy. He really should go to clean himself up and sleep on the bed, but his eyes are betraying him and he decides a night sleeping on the couch won’t hurt anyone. 

The mess can wait until tomorrow.

**Author's Note:**

> if you guys are confused, search up for heimlich maneuver on google to know the 'position' ^^ haha


End file.
